Melissa Etheridge On Prop 8: You Can Forget My Taxes, California

The Daily Beast:

Singer Melissa Etheridge rails against the passage of the gay-marriage ban in California--and she won't be paying the state a dime.

Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.

Okay, cool I don't mean to get too personal here but there is a lot I can do with the extra half a million dollars that I will be keeping instead of handing it over to the state of California. Oh, and I am sure Ellen will be a little excited to keep her bazillion bucks that she pays in taxes too. Wow, come to think of it, there are quite a few of us fortunate gay folks that will be having some extra cash this year. What recession? We're gay! I am sure there will be a little box on the tax forms now single, married, divorced, gay, check here if you are gay, yeah, that's not so bad. Of course all of the waiters and hairdressers and UPS workers and gym teachers and such, they won't have to pay their taxes either.

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[calirep99]

I find it amazing that any democrat living in California could ever utter the words taxation without representation. Im sure she doesnt have a problem with the fact that Republicans in California dont even play a role in voting for President.

[Eoin45]

Republicans don't play a role because they have nothing to offer and the voters have rejected them.

[SwingingFromCenter]

Just like Democrats throughout the South?

[sheila]

there is a difference between LOSING ELECTIONS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY and NOT BEING ALLOWED TO VOTE. republicans are allowed to vote, for some reason (ok, kidding on that last part). if you can't win, that's part of the winner-take-all election process - you don't have a right to win, just to vote and have your vote counted. you have to have more votes to win, why does that bother you?

but, if you aren't even allowed to vote, that's where your rights are violated, and that is closer to the situation with prop 8.

imagine if, as the majority, CA decided not to allow republicans to have driver's licenses or professional licenses. we just don't think y'all should be on the roads because you clog them up for the rest of us, drive gas prices up with your SUVs, and we sure as hell don't want you in court representing health clinic bombers, so we have decided to pull your licensing based on your past registration (you can't change it to get the rights, just like gays can't change their orientation). how do you like it? feel like you are afforded equal rights with Dems?

[IzzyCA]

Reagan won California, so yeah, Republicans do play a role, sometimes.

[dancewosleeping]

Here's another nugget to chew on...
Why doesn't the ACLU start looking into the LDS' religious tax-exempt status? Seems fundamentally wrong to me to not have to pay taxes cuz you're a "religious" institution, and then get involved in politics. I think when they started preaching from the pulpit that it was their religious duty to influence a political election (vote, give money, canvass neighborhoods) that they lost their religious exemption...

[Snwbnny9]

I agree.
If you are furthering a political agenda, you are no longer JUST a religion.

[DMcMillan]

Giving tax breaks to any religion is a violation of the First Amendment. I'm glad people are finally talking about this.

[Bren55]

If I were rich and lived in California I would move to Mass-screw them. My partner and I live in Minneapolis and are just sick about Prop 8. This is the worst kind of hate message. What is it with these people? How dare they think we should not be allowed the same rights as they have. I really hope my partner and I can get married in the future, but with these hateful amendments being passed I wonder if it will ever happen. Melissa-move to a state where you can marry and stay married(at least for now)

[RoXXanne]

You go, girl! Hit them where it hurts!

Else you and your loved one can come to the Netherlands, we would be more then happy to let you have your wedding here! ;)

[politricking]

Go Melissa! This is great. Make the argument economically, in dollars and cents terms as well.

It's not over yet, if anything, the movement towards progress grows stronger even in the face of Prop. 8.

[scotia626]

WOW.
As a econimically fortunate gay californian- who GLADLY supported obama knowing he would tax me more- melissa etheridge has beautifully said what needed to be said. it is a very sad day in california knowing that the african amercican population- which only got the right to inter-racial marraige in 1948-over-whelmingly voted to support this hate proposition. president obama- you have some important education work to do.
thank you melissa etheridge for your wisdom.

[sowhatdemos]

I'm sorry the ban passed too. I live in redneck Tennessee and have lots of gay friends and I'm embarrased the south is still STUPID, but they are. The whole world cried tears of joy when Barack was announced as President. Good for you not paying taxes, maybe you should all sue with a class action lawsuit against paying taxes. They can imprison one but not all of you!

[SoCalTees]

I still don't understand why people are allowed to vote on discrimination. It doesn't make any sense.

http://www.cafepress.com/genderblindlove

[smithshaw08]

We need a proposition banning this kind of crap. No more letting voters decide who has civil rights!

[ImpalaSuperSport]

You may also want to ban voters from deciding anything else too. I think the more intelligent liberal masters should do all the thinking for the benighted masses.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

I'm so sorry for you and your...partner...girlfriend... friend...roommate. I'm sorry that the stupid right wingers won.... for now.

I am disgusted at the whole thing. But I gotta tell you.... MA is not a bad state. Boston is awesome and don't they have medical marijuana too? You know, when you're feeling depressed, roll a doobie and laugh at it.

I live in FL, so I don't have much hope for that law to pass.... why, with a church of some sort on every corner.... preaching all kinds of cr@p... and paying NO taxes, but enjoying all the freedom, there's no hope of having any kind of a fair and balanced society. But I think, in time, California will change. This was just a hiccup.

So until then, buy a gorgeous home in Nantucket, hang out, until the idiots that did this SOBER UP!!!

[jukesgrrl]

You make a good point. It might bring a few conservative Californians up short if a group of, as Melissa says, "fortunate gay folks," picked up and moved out of the state and took their tax dollars with them. A half-million here, a million there, it adds up. Most Americans have no idea how much of a contribution gay Americans make to our society, let alone how much they pay in taxes.

[BlueMist602]

Exactly, they do not realize the contributions that are made to our society. It is a shame, maybe we should start picketing the churches...Hmmm?

[rektruax]

Yikes! Hate to tell you, but many of the exact left-wingers that put Obama in office voted "yes" on prop. 8.

[Eoin45]

Proof? I sure didn't and any that did were wrong.

[ChaiKat]

It really boggles my mind that people who are running on their Christian beliefs just can't allow others to live their lives peacefully. We had a similar situation here in Florida and unfortunately it went the same way. I don't think it's anyone's business who anyone else wants to marry unless they are WAY underage.

Separation of church and state! Did the lawmakers in CA skip over this part?

[Eoin45]

"Separation of church and state! Did the lawmakers in CA skip over this part?" This is the problem with governing by public referendum. Lawmakers had nothing to do with prop 8. It was the Knights of Columbus and LDS church who sought to circumvent the legislative and judicial processes.

[almostdevine]

I am so sorry to every one that this ban has effected. I know it probably doesn't seem to help much, but let me just say (in what is most likely a very awkward and hopefully unoffensive {to you} way) that i was once one of those ignorant right wing nutjobs that would have supported such a hypocritical law. BUT I have since come to know so many wonderful gay people, you all have given more, been more active and fought for more than most Americans. When I find out that someone is gay i feel even more blessed to know them, because you are a group of people who are still fighting, so you appreciate "it" (no matter what it is) so much more. I will not wish you luck, because that seems empty and flimsy, but what i will say is that if i am ever in a position to support the Gay community I promise that I will.

[DMcMillan]

Your humility is honorable.

What the right also doesn't seem to understand is that it is the left that fights for all of the rights of everyone - maintaining constitutional protections that Bush has subverted, right to privacy, etc. - but the left gets abused for it. We are the ones that get called UnAmerican America Haters, whiny liberals, etc. But the sad irony is that we are the foot soldiers of trying to keep this country great. We are the ones getting arrested, we are the ones speaking out. And for the most part we are the ones paying attention to what our government is doing.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

It is infuriating to me that a bunch of ignorant and hateful bible beaters can, with one move, control the lives of other human beings.

Why can't they content themselves with issues that affect the country and the world collectively? Why must they insist on involving themselves with something that has no bearing whatsoever on their personal lives?

It's insanity. Too bad there couldn't be an exodus of all gay people from California. Then the state would see who butters their bread.

[ReesieKitty]

I agree with the commenter who said all the celebrities should get together in as high a profile way as possible and announce that they are not paying their taxes and are moving their primary residences to CN as a protest. I don't admire or respect entertainers or actors more than other people- but these are folks with a lot of money who pay LOTS in taxes. They also employ a LOT of people in the state of CA. Put your money and your tax dollars where your mouths are and move to a state that supports your fundamental legal rights under the constitution. You should not HAVE to do this to make your point, its true. But it certainly WOULD make a point, both publicly and financially to the state of CA. The state is making a lot more in taxes and income from someone like Melissa Ethrage or Ellen than they are on a hundred bigots who voted in favor of Prop 8. CA's pocketbook can't afford the hit right now- go get 'em where it hurts the most!!

[strangerinthenight]

The lady is a +R@mp, but she does makes sense. Taxation with out REPRESENTATION. Just kidding about being a +R@mp. I'm hardly an expert on Gay Lesbian issues, in fact, I avoid the issue, but it's like you get up one morning, and they are in fact a part of our society that we choose to ignore, or better yet, we want to remain invisible.

So, now I see the light and acknowledge them. Nothing drastic really.

Seriously, let them get married, have a family, adopt children (which by the way, Child Services is an incompetent agency), live a happy life, spend Thanksgiving, Christmas or get divorced. Just like many of us.

Love, love Ellen !

[ReelBusy]

I'm a fan of civil disobedience and like this Gay-No Pay tax idea very much.

[DMcMillan]

Here are a few other taxes concerning legally recognized marriage that we are not allowed to benefit from:

1. domestic partners, this benefit is typically taxable as income. When spouses are covered, the benefit is tax-free. - isn't that sweet.

2. Social Security - A husband or wife is entitled to one-half of the spouses Social Security benefits and to additional benefits in the event of death.

3. Preferential estate tax treatment. - The $1 million estate tax limitation doesn't apply to married people: you can leave an unlimited amount to a spouse without owing one penny of estate tax. In certain states, this benefit is multiplied by special capital-gains tax treatment for homes and other assets held by married couples as community property.

This is our situation. What are we going to do?

[antaeus]

Does the Social Security system recognize same-sex spouses in states like Massachusetts? I like Boston.

[DMcMillan]

I don't know. But, I would hope that with marriage being legalized that would be the case.