Gay Marriage at Cedar Point: Please help us!

Lord Gonchar said:

And having no retort beyond attacking my delivery is a bigger sign of weakness.

Best I can do is treat it like the joke it is.

As you stated, the article has nothing to do with this issue, why did you bring it up or share it?

Because I feel it shows exactly how silly and blown out of proprtion the whole thing has become.

"Hey! Hot button topic here! Look at me!" - which is exactly what that article amounts to.

But it has nothing to do with this discussion.

The bottom line is Cedar Fair is an inclusive organization that made several boneheaded decisions about this.

LG wow!! Someone get out the fire hose, this guy is one Fiyaaaa. Alicia Keys would sing to you right now for all that.

CPJ I think your missing the point. And the article is just another example of how writers degrade just because they can write.

I'll leave who/what its degrading up to you.

sirloindude said:

If the LGBT community wanted to get mad at anyone, they should've gotten upset at the state of Ohio and its citizens who, thus far, have decided against permitting same-sex marriages.

This. So much this.

CPJ said:

But is has nothing to do with this discussion.

I think it has everything to do with the discussion.

Eric himself posted links to news articles. One reaction to that was that this has been blown totally out of proportion.

I'm following that line of thought and backing it up. The article I linked to shows exactly how silly this has all gotten. It's being used to gain attention for other completely non-related complaints aimed at CP.

That's quite possibly more offensive than what CP did in the first place. Now they (and the cause they feel so strongly about) is simply link bait to air other grievances.

mlnem4s said:

"We at Cedar Point deeply respect and appreciate the diversity of both our employees and our park guests, for over 100 years Cedar Point has been a welcoming place for all to the beautiful shores of Lake Erie for a day of fun and happiness. In planning our "13 Weddings" promotion we erred in judgement by not recognizing that all of our park guests could legally participate, we acknowledge our mistake and we apologize for it. In fairness to all of our park guests we chose to cancel this promotion until such a time that we feel all of our loyal and dedicated Cedar Point fans can be fully included in such an event here in the great state of Ohio."

While well-written, and a great example of how the park could have responded, that pretend reply leans to the side of marriage equality, and could potentially piss off those who do not believe that gays should be afforded the same rights as straights. I think the park did well enough keeping their reply short and cryptic, because they are a business, and want money from both straights and gays, as well as straights who are gay-friendly.

I will refrain from adding to the high-priced food and Fastlane "sub-topic," because it adds nothing to this very important discussion about people getting married at the park.

I will say that if I ever get to meet Mr. Right, I would absolutely love to have a ceremony at Cedar Point, and am satisfied with their response that I may be able to do so.

And I don't want to derail the conversation anymore than it keeps trying to get derailed, but I need to add that I would hope that this controversy will get Cedar Fair to at least consider terminating their contract with Chik-Fil-A. Controversy should be removed by the park chain, no matter which side they are on. Some of their guests feel strong emotions as they pass by a Chik-Fil-A store, gay or anti-gay. Cedar Fair would do good to eliminate that within their park.

Aamilj said:
My point is that it would be generally silly to look at the above quote...then conclude those Roller Coaster Enthusiasts are "difficult"...lets not deal with them.

Says someone who has never had to negotiate an enthusiast event. You have no idea how many times I've had to apologize for the behavior of enthusiasts I've never met.

I think Gonch is making the point that the ensuing side show is exactly the problem, in part because it was a side show to begin with. When I think about the meaningful efforts made by advocates to get the law changed, gay or straight, by speaking with one voice in letters to legislators and demonstrations, I'm frankly a little put off by this entire issue. Seeing an important civil rights issue being reduced to a pity party about zombie weddings at an amusement park by one couple who didn't get their way strikes me as sad and unfortunate.

^^^Yes.

LG I agree.

What bothers me even more, is why would a writer make those types of conclusions? I just honestly don't get it.

CPJ said:

I think maybe you missed the point in the article, its actually quite good.

I'm with you. I think that the writer links the current uproar over the gay marriage issue in a very witty way to how certain forms of discrimination are permitted when it is advantageous for the company's financial situation, particularly when pointing out that discrimination occurs daily every time someone who can afford the Fast Lane pass cuts in front of someone who can't.

The article is very tongue-in-cheek, and it would be great if more local news sources were as entertaining and thought-provoking.

^So its okay to do that while degrading all other topics? So what was written has no impact at all?

That's what Gonch was doing.

SquareOne42 said:
...that discrimination occurs daily every time someone who can afford the Fast Lane pass cuts in front of someone who can't.

Which makes it all even more laughable. The point he's trying to make sucks too. It's a double whammy.

"The ill-fated publicity stunt to let zombies marry at the park is to me far less damaging to the reputation of the Pride of Sandusky than the amusement park's class-baiting Fast Lane passes and exorbitant food prices".

"Most parents, I think, would rather answer a child's questions about a same-sex couple dressed as dead people than explain why people cut ahead of them in line after a 60-minute wait".

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gay Zombies should be the least of Cedar Point's concerns.

I put them in that order for a reason. I cant find the coherence with these comments in the least. Secondly, it almost seem to suggest dismissing the gay issue altogether as if it has little importance. Maybe it should have little importance but guess what kind of message that sends across. I look at it from all angles. or as many as I can, but not everyone would.

Gay rights issues, or the price of a hot dog, hmmmmmmm!!

I think that if the author wanted to address anything food- or beverage-related, the article should have been about how unacceptable it is that one can't bring their souvenir bottle from Kings Island that was bought during the 2009 season can't be used for dollar refills this year.

To bring Rosa Parks into this at all is completely unfair to the very brave thing she did and should not be a part of this at all.

So explain how it was unfair to bring her into the discussion.

I have a feeling you didn't get the comment at all, but please explain how what I said was unfair.

I just believe it was a different deeper struggle that should not be dragged into this. This is very simple, Cedar Point could have followed their cornerstones and accepted this commitment ceremony or not proposed to do it at all.

Integrity.

Lord Gonchar said:
Which makes it all even more laughable. The point he's trying to make sucks too. It's a double whammy.

Enjoy it when you spend money for your pay to cut pass and I cut in front of you because I know people in the industry and pay nothing for it.

CPJ said:

Enjoy it when you spend money for your pay to cut pass and I cut in front of you because I know people in the industry and pay nothing for it.

1. Couldn't tell you the last time I paid for FOL.

2. I can tell you the last time I was escorted to the front of a ride because I knew the right people.

Your argument is broken.

And if sarcasm is weakness and not a valid defense, then how far down the chain is whatever it is you just tried to pull?