[Kim]

They've been allowed since April 2001. The figure I mentioned before is actually wrong, 2000 is the amount of gay couples that were married during the first 6 months after legislation alone.

I can't give you any statistics about the homosexual hate crimes. I wouldn't know but to be honest we've never had many problems here with crimes like that, ever. They just don't happen or at least very very seldom.

[Kim]

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ...index.html

:thumb:

[jen]

Go Canada!!! :thumb: :thumb:
What is the problem here in the US?? UGH!! cratch: :roll:
Like I said earlier, I do not know anyone who is gay, but I still feel very strong for gay rights. Everyone has a right to be happy, and to marry whomever they wish to marry.
Get this: In this country, there are a few states(Virginia, Florida,few others) who still have old laws forbidding people to live together if they aren't married. Granted, they are old laws and probably never get enforced, but nonetheless..they still exist in the books. Yeah,right..whatever!! :roll:

[Beat]

In Texas a judge overruled the law recently. He said that the law can't forbid two gay people to live together. Way to go judge :thumb:

[jen]

But, this law also applies to heterosexual couples. No living together without being married. :roll:

[CanuckCourage]

Many states still have archaic laws towards consensual sodomy . The government still likes to stick it's nose where it doesn't belong . Who are they to tell you what you can and can't do with your partner , with your own body , it's ridiculous . Some of these laws are still being enforced .

"John Geddes Lawrence and Tyron Garner were arrested in September 1998 after police burst into Lawrence’s apartment after receiving a false report of an armed intruder inside. Police found the men having sex, and they were charged by Harris County prosecutors with sodomy, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. "


Here are the penalties for consensual sodomy in the United States. The laws are *gender-neutral* unless otherwise noted.

Alabama--$ 13A-6-65 (sexual misconduct, class A misdemeanor)
Alaska--decriminalized, 1978
Arizona--$ 13-1411 (crime against nature, class 3 misdemeanor) & $ 13-1412 (lewd or lascivious act, class 3 misdemeanor)
Arkansas--$ 5-14-122 (sodomy, class A misdemeanor) SAME-SEX ONLY
California--decriminalized, 1975
Colorado--decriminalized, 1971
Connecticut--decriminalized, 1969
Delaware--decriminalized, 1972
District of Columbia--decriminalized, 1993--decriminalization in early 1980's reversed by Congress
Florida--$ 800.02 (unnatural and lascivious act, 2d degree misd.)
Georgia--$ 16-6-2 (sodomy, felony w/ 20-yr max)
Hawaii--decriminalized, 1973
Idaho--$ 18-6605 (crime against nature, felony w/ 5-yr minimum)
Illinois--decriminalized, 1961
Indiana--decriminalized, 1976
Iowa--decriminalized, 1976
Kansas--$ 21-3505 (sodomy, class B misdemeanor) SAME-SEX ONLY
Kentucky--<$ 510.100 (sodomy, class A misdemeanor) SAME-SEX ONLY> *INVALIDATED* Commonwealth v. Wasson, 842 S.W.2d 487 (Ky. 1992)
Louisiana--$ 14:89 (crime against nature, felony w/ 5-yr max)
Maine--decriminalized, 1975
Maryland--art. 27, $ 553 (sodomy, felony w/ 10-yr max) & $ 554 (unnatural or perverted sex practice, felony w/ 10-yr max)
Massachusetts--<ch. 272, $ 35 (unnat'l & lascivious act, fel. 5-yr max)> & *INVALIDATED* Commonwealth v. Balthazar, 318 N.E.2d 478 (Mass. 1974) <$ 34 (crime against nature, felony w/ 20-yr max)> *Regarded as also invalid under Balthazar*
Michigan $ 750.158 (crime against nature, felony w/ 15-yr max) invalidated by local trial court, Michigan Org. for Hum. Rts. v. Kelley, No. 88-815820 CZ (Mich. Cir. Ct. Wayne Cnty. July 9, 1990), not appealed by state (?) Minnesota--$ 609.293 (sodomy, misdemeanor w/ 1-yr max)
Mississippi--$ 97-29-59 (crime against nature, felony w/ 10-yr max)
Missouri--$ 566.090 (sexual misconduct, class A misd.) SAME-SEX ONLY
Montana--$ 45-5-505 (dev. sexual cond., fel. 10-yr max) SAME-SEX ONLY
Nebraska--decriminalized, 1977
Nevada--decriminalized, 1993
New Hampshire--decriminalized, 1973
New Jersey--decriminalized, 1978
New Mexico--decriminalized, 1975
New York--<Penal $ 130.38 (sodomy, class B misdemeanor)> *INVALIDATED* People v. Onofre 415 N.E.2d 936 (N.Y. 1980)
North Carolina--$ 14-177 (crime against nature, class I felony)
North Dakota--decriminalized, 1977
Ohio--decriminalized, 1972
Oklahoma--tit. 21, $ 886 (crime against nature, felony w/ 10-yr max)
Oregon--decriminalized, 1971
Pennsylvania--<$ 3124 (deviate sexual intercourse, 2d degree misd.)> *INVALIDATED* Commonwealth v. Bonadio, 415 A.2d 47 (Pa. 1980)
Rhode Island--$ 11-10-1 (crime against nature, felony w/ 7-20-yr term)
South Carolina--$ 16-15-120 (buggery, felony w/ 5-yr term)
South Dakota--decriminalized, 1976
Tennessee--$ 39-13-510 (homosexual act, class C misd.) SAME-SEX ONLY
Texas--Penal $ 21.06 (homosexual conduct, class C misd.) SAME-SEX ONLY. invalidated by state appeals court, State v. Morales, 826 S.W.2d 201 (Tex. App. 1992), reversed on jurisdictional grounds, 869 S.W.2d 941 (Tex. 1994), invalidated by state appeals court, City of Dallas v. England, 846 S.W.2d 957 (Tex. App. 1993), review denied on juris. grounds Utah--$ 76-5-403 (sodomy, class B misdemeanor)
Vermont--decriminalized, 1977
Virginia--$ 18.2-361 (crime against nature, class 6 felony)
Washington--decriminalized, 1975
West Virginia--decriminalized, 1976
Wisconsin--decriminalized, 1983
Wyoming--decriminalized, 1977

American Samoa--decriminalized, 1979
Guam--decriminalized, 1976
Northern Marianas--(?)
Puerto Rico--tit. 33, $ 4065 (dev. sexual interc. (SAME-SEX ONLY) & crime against nature (gender-neutral?), felony w/ 10-yr term)
Virgin Islands, U.S.--decriminalized, 1984

[dannya2]

It's a crime?

[jen]

Like I said...what the hell is wrong with the US?? Too many religious freaks, perhaps?? No offense to anyone..really, it is just absurd that we still have these kinds of laws, and that is the only reason I can think of, as to why we still do??????? cratch: :roll: