What would be the point except to waste time, ie. money on political drivel? lt local governments GOVERN instead try to rule. The state and national governments seem to have lost sight of that. They want to rule by whatever means the party in power deems 'appropriate'. When issues like this get to be of any importance at all, we the people have lost the game. Government is meant to make the citizenery more prosperous and comfortable. For the council to waste time on ANYTHING else is them trying to RULE the joint. Look to the state and national legislatures for guidance, whatever they do or say, DO THE OPPOSITE and move on. If the issue comes up, you don't need a second to move to adjourn, do so and go home, you've done enough for the day. It's like the mayor's obsessive fantasy of us having a 'sister city' in a godless communist country that we fought in years ago, PURE DRIVEL from him is all it is. SOB never fought for this country ANYWHERE, so his credibilty on the subject is ZERO. Let's move on for God's sake and concentrate on doing the right thing, for a change. nuff said

I think those with a "it's not important" attitude are clearly not affected by the laws in the state that prevent 2 adults from marrying and enjoying all of the legal and spiritual benefits associated with that status. This is still a very hot topic, especially in the South. For a mayor or other legislator to sign their name to legalizing same-sex marriage is NOT political pandering, but showing constituents that they are strong enough to withstand whatever political fall-out may happen because of their belief.

"Government is meant to make the citizenery more prosperous and comfortable"? Not sure what that means, but isn't it more reasonable to say that the government is meant to protect our rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" rather than grant those same rights?

No.

If they would stop using things like the tax code to control behavior, this would be a non issue. A marriage should be between the parties concerned - the government should not have anything to do with it either way. But then again, that's just my opinion.

No but Hell NO

The only reason the Mayor of Atlanta "switched" is he is up for re-election soon and he wants the gay community (which is very large and grows larger every day) to support him and his minions ti remain in power.

no place for city government to be involved with - has absolutely NOTHING to do with city matters

Is there is nothing "wrong" with same sex marriage?

EVERYONE has the right to marry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No no no God made adams&Eve not steve and stevie

Wow. I can totally NOT feel the love for my opinon here from some of these comments. While I respect the right of any church to deny a religious ceremony to anyone for any reason, I see NO reason that the government should deny two consenting adults the opportunity to legally marry - no matter their race, religious affiliation or sexual preferences.

This is a State law and having a City Council to take action is the height of foolishness. Further, marriage is between a man and a woman. If the gays want to enter into a contract of some sort, then the State can make provisions for such.

I see the whole "Smaller less intrusive government crowd" is weighing in with their ideals of government mandated "junk checks" ...

You guys are doing it wrong , learn something from the recent electoral defeat. Back off the hypocrisy .
The government has no place meddling in the private affairs of individuals. If two people wish to get married there is no valid reason for the government to deny them . You know ...Freedom?

its not really the governments job to get involved with this issue. Time to just let it go,let people live their lives how they deem fit, move to bigger fish that need frying. SSM affects me not in the least.

Now, that being said, I highly suspect the timing of Reed's statement was a diversion of several issues that actually concern the city of Atlanta. While everyone is busy fussing over this nonsense, Atlanta's city council quietly voted themselves a raise and a $50,000,000.00 commitment to a new, unneeded dome.

Well done, Mayor Reed...jump on the bandwagon of a hot button issue, one that the city government has exactly ZERO ability to affect one way or the other, so nobody will notice the money you just threw at your cronies...well played politics...

Never could quite understand all the drama around same sex marriages. Let them marry. Good grief. This coming from a Catholic...heterosexual male. It's not my thing but we need to stop with the homophobe mentality.

Yes! Pass the law to let any 2 consenting adults be legally married. I realize the government should NOT be involved in the personal lives of law abiding citizens but the government IS involved when they make laws banning same sex marriage. It's wrong to deny homosexual citizens the same freedom & rights that straight citizens have. They are not lesser human beings, they deserve the same rights I have as a legally married person.

NO!!

If they want a union, call it that. but it's not marriage.

The article states that the City of Atlanta "passed a resolution". As I understand resolutions, they simply confirm that a council "supports", "endorses" or "recognizes" a vantage point. What I have typically witnessed in council meetings, is that "resolutions" usually:
- recognize an organized effort or association/group
- acknowledge or define a certain day/date as "xxx-day" in the City
- serve as documentation when the Key to the City is presented to someone

This resolution does seem "different" in that it is supporting/endorsing a "cause" that is extremely important to many people; all-be-it, not an official responsibility of any city. Hence, in my opinion, it seems unnecessary and I tend to agree that this is political platforming on Reed's part.

Any decision in life should ALWAYS be made using biblical principles. We've angered God too many times as our society turns our backs on Him. Read Genesis 2:18-25, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:25-27, Proverbs 31:11. From the start, it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve or Alice and Eve! Per God, homosexuality is a sin. Read Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Thank you Dave Norling, my sentiments exactly.
People just do not realize or want to believe in God and the stories handed down through time as examples. We have already been shown the results of immoral behavior and actions of those that "think their way is the only way" and I am going to do what makes me happy. God is patient but He is not a fool....He will allow man to destroy himself from within. He has destroyed the immorality many times and then people soon forget and start it all over again. I have found on these forums many will rebuke the Word of God and ask us Christians not to push our beliefs on them because they think they are safe keeping the lights off.

Did Jesus not die on the cross to pay the debt of forgiveness on behalf of all sinners? Are we not forgiven our trespasses according to the Bible? Is all sin not equal?
Do we all not sin?

We all sin, but that doesn't make it ok.

So, basically Mayor Reed succeeded in diverting attention away from city issues by needlessly engaging in a hot button social issue that the city government can have no effect on. Proof on the pudding...this thread.

The city council of Atlanta just gave themselves a fat 50% raise. Then they committed $50,000,000.00 to a new some stadium that we don't need.

The question here about a pointless resolution that the city passed to divert attention from real issues that the city should address. I'd there a conversation to be had on SSM? Sure there is. Just not in the council chambers on an entity that can't do anything about it. And especially when weighty matters that do affect the city's bottom get ignored in lue of it...

I'd guess there are a lot of folks that dont see this as pointless Jeff...

Sure , no doubt there is some pandering here , typical politics...Would you care for me to point out similar "pointless" examples from the other side?

A non binding resolution in support of freedom isnt one I'm gonna take issue with nor does it require us to ignore other completely unrelated issues no matter how unimportant one might find it .
Meanwhile our own "smaller government conservative" rep in the gold dome is working on legislation regarding automotive window tint.

well, of course you want to pull some.pointlessness from the other side! Lets help Reed hide whats really going on even more while we talk about a topic that has nothing to do with the business of Atlanta.

But please...by all means, lets have some examples of what those evil Republicans in Atlanta's city government are doing...

Hello....there is nothing that the city of Atlanta can do to affect this issue one way or the other, rendering it a pointless waste of time in city council chambers and serving to divert attention from whats really going on. like, the fact that these clowns who furlough public safety and other employees just voted themselves a fat raise. Why wouldn't they want to change the subject, divert attention to something he can't do anything about, other than jump on a bandwagon and hope that this is what they remember come reelection time, not the fiscal irrersposability.

And because he's talking about one of your champion causes, I guess it's just ok. Your answer it to join the diversion by dredging out more crap unrelated to the fiscal issues of the city of Atlanta. Brilliant.

I dont expect any sort of objectivity from you, but you've been duped. Not just you, but everyone one both sides here. You're talking about what he wants you to talk about while they waste money while nobody is looking at the real issues. Part of being duped is getting caught up into not realizing you've been duped.

Ahhh there it is ...

Everyone has been duped! We're all completely fooled ! Fortunately we have the mighty Jeffro to point out the error of our ways!!
Horsepuckey

Really Jeff, get over yourself .No one has been duped here ,pretty sure that a 15 minute non binding resolution passed at the behest of a council member (not the mayor as you erroneously imply) is not some part of some tinfoil hatted conspiracy to cause the other actions of the government to become invisible

I get that you think it pointless due to your extreme indifference on the matter. Might I suggest you read some other articles on the topic ? Many of those who actually have some skin in the game dont share your opinion.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/atlanta-mayor-announces-his-support-of-gay-marriag/nTSpZ/

My position on the matter is clear, and ill thank you not to paint it any other way. Read. Dont assume.

My point is that this has obviously diverted attention from matters the city does have jurisdiction over. That fact is self evident, and you not realizing (well, refusing to admit it now that its neen pointed out, anyways) serves to prove rhe point.
I have no problem with anyone weighing in a personal opinion, as Reed did with a local magazine. Thats fine,but the point where it males headlines as city business? No.

I would feel the same way if it were something i supported that a local body gad no effect on. I'd be looking for what they didnt want me to see. In this case, it wasn't difficult to spot.

PS...im not againt SAM...
you knew that, yet as usual you.chose the broadstroke. Typical

Readiing issues again Jeff?

I know your stance and made no attempt to paint it otherwise..As I recall you have stated that you werent against it but you wouldnt actively support it . I define that as "indifference" and thats the word I used...Please clarify if necessary!

You may be unfamiliar with the way City Government works. I'd suggest attending a local council meeting . Generally there are a great many issues in play at the same time. Quite often ,City governments pass non binding resolutions ,award honors to civic groups and recognize outstanding citizens and the like . Happens all the time even at our local Council meetings . I myself have even been recognized at such a meeting !
I'm quite certain that moment was NOT intended to somehow divert attention from the other business of the council .
It's actually a function of the government and not an effort to dupe citizens

Whatever, man. Spare me the lecture. I know how it works. I just think this is a diversion. It is taking media attention, and is a pander, nothing more than a soundbite for reelection time.
and oh, look...its working.

"Leta not talk about that pay raise pr that $50,000,000 we wasted on a some! I support gay marriage!"

That's all im trying to say. Im not sure why you chose to attack me on this...Surely you can see the truth in what Im actually trying to say, even if you're more interested in trying to spin it into what you want to say.

But whatever. I've made my point clear. Carry on...

You realize of course that the resolution was proposed by a councilman (not Reed) and all he did was sign it after the council passed it it right?
You are also aware that there is a year left on the mayor's term?
If indeed it was to generate a "soundbite" one would think he would have timed it better...

Maybe you don't understand how.politics work? The resolution was timed to coincide with the pay raise, and the $50 million dome agreement. These things all hit the media at the same time...guess which one we're wasting text on? Yup...the non-binding resolution. The one thing that has exactly zero effect on the business of the city, a feel-good measure designed to grab headlines away from the fact that they just screwed over the taxpayers and workers of Atlanta. The timing was Perfect.

Im not attacking the issue of SSM...you are failing to see that...but calling out the slick political moves that used that issue as a red herring. I know how resolutions work...i also know that sometimes they are used as red herrings. As I believe the case is here. that's all. Have a nice day.

Wow ... you really think that to be the case dont you ..

Just wow....
I think you'll find there there to be PLENTY of ink and discussion devoted to both the pay raise and the stadium proposal. Apparently you might avail yourself of some of that to attain a better understanding of the issue at hand. A little google or a glance at a paper and you would realize both issues have been covered extensively in virtually every media outlet available.
As a matter of fact they have received WAY more attention discussion and print than the "non binding resolution" that you are so bothered by ..

Yeah, I really do think that local politicians threw a red herring in order to divert attention from other issues. Wow! Where would I get that idea?

so why dont you take your condescending lecture and stuff it?

I think that talking about issues out of the control of a said government agency, in a formal sense, is a complete waste of time. Had the resolution been to condemn SSM, I would feel the same as I do now, whereas you would most likely agree with me.

I pray for all you non-believers. The Founding Fathers of our great country based their beliefs on Christianity, even used a government building as a chruch for Christian sermons. Unfortuanely, our current politicians have conveniently forgotten this for political purposes. Freedom of religion or non-religion is acceptable for all because of our Founding Fathers! God bless!!

Dave....you ought to read a book or something so you aren't embarrassing yourself. This country was founded on religious freedom not Christianity and our constitution prevents Jesus freaks from basing laws on their personal superstitions....seriously, read a book.