Odds and ends: Carville visiting, Palin cancels

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• Freedom to choose

  Freedom to choose

  In my 50th year of marriage to my partner, Ann, I am thankful that Gov. Christine Gregoire has recognized that our Constitution requires separation of church and state, and has urged an end to unfair discrimination on the basis of gender in our state licensing laws.

  She has recognized that our guarantee of equality and freedom requires that a person be free to choose to be married by the state or by the church or both; and while the state must not discriminate as to whom a person marries, freedom of religion allows churches to set their own rules.

  I am also thankful that the civil dialogue on this issue may help some churches and our local legislators better understand that it is the same constitutional principal that protects the right to choose how to believe and worship, that places limits on their right to try to legislate and impose those choices on the behavior of others through political means.

• New civil rights

  New civil rights

  I would like to commend Gov. Gregoire and the Washington Legislature for taking such a proactive stance on gay marriage. This is a basic right that I think that the gay community should be able to have. I mean who are we as straight people to tell the gay community they can't get married when there are a good amount of straight people who can't stayed married (See Kim Kardashian's sham of a marriage). Also how many times do you hear about people cheating on their spouse in politics and in the entertainment industry (cough cough Herman Cain).

  This is my age's version of the civil rights movement and I firmly believe the "sanctity of marriage" is not going to go down hill nor will children be corrupted by the lifestyle of being gay. These are all silly myths that the religious right have concocted just like that marriage should be between Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve. With the gay community being able to marry they will be able to share benefits like health care and also will be able to adpot childern

• TOLL: Eyman’s anti-tolling initiative too close to call

  TOLL: Eyman’s anti-tolling initiative too close to call

  OLYMPIA — A Tim Eyman initiative that would disrupt Washington's use of tolling and prohibit light rail from crossing the Interstate 90 bridge across Lake Washington was narrowly trailing in election returns Tuesday night.

  Less than 51 percent of voters were opposing Initiative 1125 in early results tallied from 1.1 million votes. It was the only statewide ballot measure that was at risk of losing, sullied by broad opposition to the measure — from Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire to Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna.

  Eyman said that no matter the final tally, the campaign had made tolls a radioactive issue for lawmakers.

• DEATH: State Sen. White found dead in Suncadia resort room

  DEATH: State Sen. White found dead in Suncadia resort room

  By MIKE BAKER

  OLYMPIA, Wash. Washington state Sen. Scott White, a transit advocate who quickly rose to a leadership position in the Legislature, was found dead Friday at a resort hotel. He was 41.

  Kittitas County Sheriff Gene Dana said there was no sign of foul play in the death but that authorities are investigating because it remains unexplained. Housekeeping staff at the Suncadia Resort found White after he failed to check out of his room. An autopsy is planned.

• Quotes from gay marriage bill signing

  Quotes from gay marriage bill signing

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