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Jim Seida / NBC News
Garth Carroll who also goes by the name of "Professor Gizmo" smokes what he describes as "good, greenhouse organic herb" at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle just before midnight on Wednesday,
Updated at 4:51 a.m. ET: SEATTLE – When the clock struck midnight here on Thursday, hundreds of gay couples were lined up outside the county courthouse to obtain marriage licenses, while a hundred or so pot-lovers gathered across town beneath the Space Needle to light up.
They could do this because last month, on Nov. 6, Washington state voters approved marriage for same-sex couples and legalizing marijuana. Both laws went into effect at midnight.
The King County Recorder's Office opened its doors to couples at 12:01 a.m. At the front of the line were Kelly Middleton, 24, and Amanda Dollente, 29. They had arrived at 4 p.m., worried they wouldn't get a spot in line.
They had gone through three cups of hot chocolate and countless cigarettes, worried they weren't prepared and anxious that the law might suddenly change – as it did in California in 2008.
"I ran around the building asking people, 'Are we in the right place? Will you look at my paperwork?'" Dollente said.
There was concern last week that the marriage licenses would still carry the words "bride" and "groom," but officials came through in time. The county printed out 1,000 marriage licenses with "bride," "groom" and "spouse" just in case.
A history of pot, from George Washington to legalizing ganja
Photoblog: Pot fans light up at the Space Needle
Seventy-two couples down the line were Larry Duncan, 56, a retired psychiatric nurse, and Randell Shepherd, 48, a computer programmer, of North Bend, Wash. They wore matching duck hunter hats ("a fashion statement," Duncan joked) and matching shoulder-length white beards. They've been together 11 years.
"We were at a party and we met eyes and fell in love," Duncan said.
"He came up and asked me out, and I said yes," Shepherd added.
They’re considering getting married on Sunday at a church conducting mass ceremonies for same-sex couples, even though they’re not particularly religious.
“Enough people have told me, ‘God hates fags,’” Duncan said, who described himself as 'Old South.' “I want someone in a church to say, ‘God loves fags,’ to have that stamp on it.”
Outside the courthouse, stickers were handed out and a group sang a cappella, pulling from gospel and the musical Rent. Some wore bridal veils or matching t-shirts; supporters passed out cups of coffee; one woman provided Kleenex; many hugged and kissed.
Inside were eight couples -- some of the movers and shakers who helped to pass the law -- who had been selected as the first to receive their marriage licenses. Among them: Pete-e Peterson, 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty, 77, have been together for 35 years after meeting on a blind date and falling instantly in love. They will be getting married during a Seattle Men's Chorus concert on Sunday.
(State law requires that couples wait at least three days after obtaining their licenses to get married, which means Sunday is the earliest day they can get married.)
Peterson grew up in Alabama and was an Air Evacuation nurse during the Korean War. She adopted her sister's 3-year-old daughter and raised her. Lighty, who grew up mostly in the Bay Area, was also a nurse.
"I never thought this day would come," Peterson told every reporter who asked.
Another couple, Amanda Beane and Anne Bryson-Beane, have been together for 15 years. They have adopted seven children who are between four and 12 and who dressed up to attend the ceremony.
Neil Hoyt, 52, and Donald Glenn Jenny, 64, have been together for 24 years and will also be getting married at the Seattle Men's Chorus concert on Sunday night (where there will be a judge and 2,000 cupcakes).
According to UCLA's Williams Institute, same-sex marriage could pump $57 million to the state economy in the first year – resulting in $5 million of tax revenue.
Two miles away, revelers prepared to roll a joint or lift a pipe – even though it is illegal to smoke marijuana in public in Washington state.
Not that the smokers were too worried. Sgt. Sean Whitcomb told The Associated Press earlier in the week that the Seattle Police Department did not expect to write many tickets – a 2003 law made marijuana the department's lowest priority.
Related: For those hazy on pot law, Seattle police produces marijuana guide
But Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes discouraged celebrants from smoking in public, telling KUOW they should smoke at home.
"And be thankful that we're no longer arresting some 10,000 Washingtonians a year in the state of Washington and spending well over $100 million in law enforcement resources on that," he added. "And especially be grateful for lessening the racially disproportionate impact that these crazy drug laws have on our communities of color."
Before midnight, the U.S. Department of Justice issued several sobering statements, reminding revelers that pot remains illegal at the federal level, and that any amount of the substance may not be brought into federal buildings, national parks and forests and military installations. And according to one statement:
The Department of Justice is reviewing the legalization initiatives recently passed in Colorado and Washington State. The Department’s responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged. Neither States nor the Executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress.
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Leave a Comment:
what a terrible news article msnbc lets find a way to gay bash
Finally I can get high, play with my boyfriend, and not worry about the police beating me with their night sticks.
Oh, they might still beat you with their night sticks. Just because you pass a few laws doesn't me you have gotten rid of prejudices.
This is such great news!!!!! There are so many couples I hear saying, "I don't care if my baby will be a boy or a girl, just let it be healthy and let it be gay"!!! That's all I ask. Hopefully this acceptance will allow those wanting gay babies to live in peace and harmony.
It's so good to hear some good news for a change. Congratulations to all the newly (about-to-be) married couples and all the pot-smokers in the State of Washington.
Pot smoking lesbians have the best of both worlds: after getting stoned they have some muffins nearby to eat.
Everyone is up in arms one way or the other. best thing to do about the marijuana is give it a few months and then let's see what it affect it has on the public.
Remember it is in the minds of the state government that it will make more money to spend on worthless things; hence, the bureaucrats are overjoyed that the dumb voters ruled it in.
Interesting that marijuana, an intoxicant and homosexual unions are linked together. It really is indicative of the declining state of Washington.
The best homosexuals can hope for is "pseudo-marriage". A man simply cannot marry a man. It contradicts what the essence of marriage is. Calling a rock a bird does not mean the rock can now fly. The same applies to marriage. Calling a union between two people who choose an aberrant lifestyle a marriage does not confer the essence of marriage upon it.
Sodom and Gomorrah here we come!
Just like calling an ancient book the Truth doesn't change the fact that the rock is 4.5 billion years old
If this Earth is 6 billion years old.Does not change the fact that you are 4 billion years old..DNA haha
Don't you get tired of being wrong all the time??
Glenn (come on, it's you, isn't it?), marriage in the legal sense is a contractual agreement. The Roman Empire had several varieties of it available to take care of the needs of various strata of society. Some were complex transfers of property from the bride's father to the husband, some were "sales" of the bride directly to the groom, and some were simply Roman version of what was later called common-law marriage. So if the state is willing to sanction the contractual arrangement between two adutls of the same gender, then sorry chum, it is a marriage according to the state.
Oh, I get it. You mean the church sacrament. Well, whether a religious institution wants to give one of its sacraments to someone is the business of that institution, and nothing that comes into play here. So you can go on telling yourself that a gay couple isn't really married--just like a Bob Jones "University" grad can think an interracial couple isn't really married--but it doesn't really matter, does it, because the law says otherwise. Of course, if you don't like what the law says, you can always self-secede...
Here comes the Zombie Pot Heads..
Man, what is in this Sh*t, man?
Mostly Maui Waui man, but it's got some Labrador in it.
What's Labrador?
I had it on the table and the little motherf*cker ate it, man. Then I had to follow him around with a little baggie for three days, man, before I got it back. Really blew the dog's mind, ya know?
You mean we're smokin' dog sh*t, man? ----Cheech and Chong
Go gay marriage. As for the pot thing it won't change much. Pot heads were not ever known to be violent criminals. The drug cartels will lose money on pot and recoup their loses by pushing other drugs like cocaine and upping their extorsion/kidnapping business. You will also just have an increase of people being stoned all the time, wasting their lives and demanding the government pay their bills. You will probably also see an increase of medical issues because people have been spiking pot cigarettes more with things like spice which is @!$%#ing people up bad.
@Sarah. You bigotry bigot, I love you!
I find it amusing the GOP'ers thought they would get the libertarian vote when Ron Paul joined the party.
The truth is those holier-than-thou bedroom snooping, pill popping hypocrites are as far away from personal liberty as you can get.
They just passed the law, sounds like you have been smoking non-stop since the 50s
May God bless these courageous men and women who only ask for the freedom to live in a non-biased, non-prejudiced, hate-free society.
Another sad day for the history of this once great nation.
I still think this country is great. I'm sorry you are so unpatriotic and hateful you don't. Although I see your point...allowing MORE freedom in this country is a crazy idea! We want more government control on our personal lives, more catering to religious and personal bigotry, THAT's what makes this country great! (insert sarcasm icon here)
Well, you know what, USA--there's the door. Go self-secede. If you really have to live under a theocracy, either go move to Iran or find yourself a deserted island and start one yourself...
when you are using pot, and you get in an accident and hurt or kill someone,do you get the excuse the pot was responsible and do you receive a dui?
Seriously? Do you honestly think that being drunk is an excuse when you get in a car wreck? I rather suspect the same standard would be used, because one can be intoxicated by more things than alcohol. Geez, how hard can it be?...
DUI is driving under the influence of drugs, which includes pot. There is no "get out of jail free" card associated with pot, other than indirectly that it may be harder to prove than alcohol (as is true of other drugs too).
Actually this is a good question. I wonder if the laws governing DUI will apply and if it will have the same result when a breath test won't do the trick?
Mike, the authorities will simply find ways to test for THC. From that point, the law would work the same as for any other DUI offense, I would imagine...
Yeah Mike it's called smell. Come from under that boulder twice a year and you will know weed smells.
They already do apply - that's what "Driving Under the Influence" means.
I understand that Dopers are more docile than Drunks so that they can be more easily lead and manipulated. So that works well for Barry's plan for the USA. As for the Gay marriage not so much when we end up under the laws and rules under the Arab system.
So enjoy them now as the Times They Are A Changing. By the way who really cares what happens in Washington, Oregon or California.
GBA
lol, right, this is all part of obama's grand plan to turn us into Islamic terrorists.
Methinks you've been indulging in some serious recreational drugs. :)
Wow. Just when I thought the American IQ was going up and along comes Zorro to bring us down to reality.
Zorro, you would probably be more productive, and have more fun, getting up off your tochis and yelling at the kids next door to get off your lawn than to sit there and post such obvious dreck as this. Smoking pot and recognizing same-sex marriage is the same as Islamist theocracy? Are you even trying to keep your paranoid boogeymen in separate boxes anymore?...
Could I buy POT with food stamps? LOL
No, genius. You could at least try to keep all your BS stereotypes in separate compartments, couldn't you?...
I wonder how much money the illegal drug cartels spent in lobbying congress to make sure drugs stayed illegal?
Either way, people in Washington are on the way to having the right to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. As any conservative will tell you, this whole "America = Freedom" thing is going way too far. Hell, the next big kick in the teeth may be that whole "liberty" thing. Ya ... just what America needs ... Freedom and Liberty. Our founding father are rolling over in their graves.
WELL all i have to say is too bad the states that don't pass a law to legalize pot are behind the times the tax on pot will help each state, as far as gay marriage goes i do not agree with this way of life, i believe in a man and women are the only ones to take vows in marriage, it is my opinion and that is my right,
I don't see the gay marriage thing either but this is America ... I don't have to agree with what you do but as an American its my responsibility to make sure you have the freedom to do it. Freedom and liberty is what America is all about. Sadly, far too many people have forgotten that.
Just as it was the right of Southern Baptists and Mormons to oppose mixed-race marriage.
Sounds like you're no different from those bigots, and want special rights while treating other Americans as 2nd-class citizens.
What's next, pedophiles want to marry young boys ?
Using the same tactics used by “gay” rights activists, pedophiles have begun to seek similar status arguing their desire for children is a sexual orientation no different than heterosexual or homosexuals.
Critics of the homosexual lifestyle have long claimed that once it became acceptable to identify homosexuality as simply an “alternative lifestyle” or sexual orientation, logically nothing would be off limits. “Gay” advocates have taken offense at such a position insisting this would never happen. However, psychiatrists are now beginning to advocate redefining pedophilia in the same way homosexuality was redefined several years ago.
Not that stupid, tired argument? Really? You can't see the diff between consenting adults and child rape? I would guess then, that you are the one with issues.
Ahh, you might want to check into a little something called legal consent. It's what makes all these people-will-want-to-marry-sheep arguments the utter bullpucky they are. Frankly, your trite little nightmare scenario can't happen because children can't give informed legal consent, genius. It's why a child can't sign a legally binding contract, which in legal terms is what a marriage license is. So you can stuff all your "they'll-wanna-marry-dogs" BS into the flat-earth folder where it belongs...
And until you can provide an actual citation of this claim from a legitimate source made by a recognized authority, I call BS on you. Maybe you need to get off Faux Nooz and WingNutDaily every once in a while...
Scientist1, you're a slimball, you need..., and I mean...
I love how so many of the true homophobes pick screen names using words like "science" and "logic".
They seem dimly aware that they need to compensate for something.
Still into that plagiarism thing, eh, Scientist?
Reported.
A bunch of fags getting married goodness gracious. Sad times real sad
You forgot to hate on the lesbians.
Before I go, let me take one more hit....I'll only take a little bit cuz that' all I need........
I wonder how they can prove if your high or not if pulled over? I don't drink or do drugs but after 16 hours staring at a computer screen for a living, my eyes sure look like they do.
Since pot stays in your system for days, it may be hard to prove that your were intoxicated at the time you were pulled over or in an accident.
I'm sure there will be a legal limit of how much pot in the system results in someone being impaired. Bottom line is that can be the loophole in the law that gets potheads. Yea, it's legal to smoke, but get caught driving with it in your system and you lose your license.
you do get high, why else would you be making excuses already. Go BS some other people
Coordination tests and response time tests are very common, and in use in every state.
What other depravity is Obama going to bring to this country?
Yeah, Obama personally told WA to recognize same-sex marriage. And in other news, he personally ordered the earth to explode on December 21...
Ow! I stubbed my toe! Damn you, Obama! (Hint: that's what you sound like, Johnny-boy...)
Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!
- Dr. Peter Venkman
A bunch of fags getting married beats all ive ever saw. Sad real sad
You must be suffering from cross-burning withdrawal, drew. Tell you what--go read a couple chapters of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and it'll pick you right up, there, bud...
I can just hear the Conversation between them. 'Dear will you shave the Hair off your chest'. 'Ok, but you will have to Shave your Hairy butt'. Oh yeah, sounds like a normal couple to me. An all American couple. Employers that provide Health care must be pulling THEIR hair out.
At least one state is smart enough to realize that there are more important things to worry about than gay marriage and pot!
Will pot be regulated the same as tobacco?
I suspect it will be, jjbills; and a useful source of revenue it might become if WA plays their cards right...
Will people smoke and drive? Often they do, not treating it the same way drinking and driving does. That's another issue that'll have to be addressed.
DUI is still DUI regardless of what is influencing your driving. You can technically get a DUI by driving on some legal prescription medications that have been legally prescribed to you by a Dr. Legalization of pot does not change DUI laws.
Good because driving while high on pot can be very difficult and I just hope these people who try to portray pot as nothing will realize this.