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Lingle: Civil Unions Like Incest


Lingle x390 (Getty) I Advocate.com

Hawaii governor Linda Lingle, who vetoed her state’s civil union bill last week, said in a radio interview that the issue no more involves civil rights than does the question of whether close relatives should be allowed to marry.

The Honolulu Civil Beat reports on the comments made in the Republican’s first radio interview since the Wednesday veto. She spoke Thursday morning on a show that airs on KHVH 830 AM.

"For those people who want to make this into a civil rights issue, and of course those in favor of the bill, they see it as a civil rights issue. And I understand them drawing that conclusion. But people on the other side would point out, well, we don’t allow other people to marry even — it’s not a civil right for them. First cousins couldn’t marry, or a brother and a sister and that sort of thing. So there are restrictions, not to put it in the exact same category. But the bottom line is, it really can’t be a civil right if we are restricting it in other cases, and it’s been found to be legal in those other cases, that the restrictions [are constitutional]."

A caller from Maryland who identified himself as a gay man reached the program to tell Lingle that first cousins can marry in Hawaii. The governor said she would need to confirm whether that was true.

According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, the Hawaii Department of Health says, "Cousins may marry. However, the blood relationship between the prospective bride and groom cannot be closer than first cousins."

Listen to the interview with Lingle posted by the Think Progress blog.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: alex
    Date posted: 7/18/2010 2:35:29 PM
    Hometown: new york

    Comment:

    Ok so how about gay people follow the same laws as straight people and same sex cousins cannot marry if it is illegal to do so in their state. And I must add that this was one lame excuse for the governer....first cousins cannot marry in many states because potential genetic outcome of the children of inbreeding could be a recipe for genetic weakness...witness the inbreeding of may blue bloods in Europe. So since Gays can't inbreed since they cannot produce off springs...this is really an arguement FOR gay marriage. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! What a poor excuse for the governer. She could have been on the leading edge but has chosen to show her ignorance and be on the waning edge.

  • Name: Stephen
    Date posted: 7/18/2010 2:56:14 AM
    Hometown: Paris

    Comment:

    What a stupid woman. I agree with earlier comments...did she run unopposed? Her argument is so incredibly lame. Vote to woman out Hawaiians and get someone who has a brain between her ears.

  • Name: Rebekah
    Date posted: 7/14/2010 7:45:20 AM
    Hometown: Shreveport

    Comment:

    She doesn't even know the laws for the state over which she's the governor?? And how would gay marriage be bad for the social wellbeing of this country? Yes, some idiots would be mad (like ms lingle), but ultimately there would be harm only to the pride of these idiots when the apocalypse doesn't strike after it is legalized. Not allowing gay people to marry is bigoted. If she tried to say that mentally retarded people shouldn't marry for societal well-being, few would stand for it. But because she's targeted an area of the population that is still discriminated against on a regular basis, its suddenly ok.

  • Name: Lomi Kapisi
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 9:19:14 PM
    Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii

    Comment:

    That's a bit of a stretch; don't you think philly?

  • Name: Jack
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 3:50:10 PM
    Hometown: St. Louis

    Comment:

    How she got elected governor I'll never know. Did she run unopposed?

  • Name: Rick
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 3:02:30 PM
    Hometown: Philly

    Comment:

    Hey Nobiashere (from Philly). I am from Philly too. How about you and I meet for a beer at the Bike Stop and I will show you how fucking seriously I should be taken.

  • Name: Kevin
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 10:16:47 AM
    Hometown: Maine

    Comment:

    Her Excellency doesn't have to d much research - I found the answer in 30 seconds. First cousins can marry in Hawaii.

  • Name: Larry Martin
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 7:16:32 AM
    Hometown: Cincinnati Ohio

    Comment:

    This from a lesbian? Another closeted Republican who is willing to hurt her own people, just to save her place in the party and her political career. How can the people of Hawaii have voted for her? I will ask that when I return in November.

  • Name: Wally
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 7:09:56 AM
    Hometown: Honolulu

    Comment:

    Linda Lingle is just looking out for her future in the RNC. She used to be a "Moderate"; she is now selling her résumé to the RNC leadership. She has met several times with Karl Rove in the past 2 years. She apparently drank the Kool-Aid at the 2008 Rebub convention. Linda Lingle has lost touch with Hawaii residents, lost her leadership as a Moderate Repub and has lost credibility as a principled Governor. This is a shame since the future will judge her decision harshly. Please do not boycott Hawaii. This is actually counter-productive. Used to be a Repub and now an Independent Wally

  • Name: Toph
    Date posted: 7/13/2010 6:25:48 AM
    Hometown: Seattle, WA

    Comment:

    I can't take someone with that haircut seriously.

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