Fight for the Right ... to Marry

While same-sex couples in Connecticut started lining up to get married this week, gay couples in California wondered what will happen if the courts uphold Proposition 8, which was passed by a close margin during the Nov. 4 general election. Unless you've been living in a dark room with just your cats, you know by now that Prop 8 says that the only valid marriage in California is between a man and a woman. Sure, we can elect a black man to the White House, but we can't allow all people who love each other to enjoy the same legal rights? And here I thought we were making progress in America. Yes we can. But can we?

Prop 8 seemed to work in large part because its marketing campaign instilled fear into people by saying that if it didn't pass, schools would start teaching same-sex marriage. Now, if memory serves I don't recall ever being taught about heterosexual marriage in my public school when I was growing up. And I bet you can poll most people in this country on the topic and they'll tell you they weren't taught about marriage in any capacity either. What it comes down to is discrimination.

Following the passing of Prop 8, gay rights supporters around the country reacted almost immediately. The following day three lawsuits were filed in an attempt to have California's Supreme Court overturn the vote since it had already ruled that it was unconstitutional to prohibit same-sex couples from marrying. Every major paper in California, including the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, editorialized against Prop 8. Even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke out against the ruling and said the fight isn't over.

This Saturday a nationwide protest will take place against the passing of Prop 8. In Chicago, supporters of gay rights will gather at Federal Plaza between 12:30 and 3:30 to speak out against what they consider a violation of basic human rights. Some people say that it's taxation without representation and are calling for California's gay citizens to not pay state taxes since they're not being equally represented. If this catches on, Illinois's already fragile budget may get further impacted.

And because the Mormon church was such a large contributor to the Yes on 8 campaign, many in Hollywood are calling for a boycott of Utah, which includes the popular ski destination of Park City as well as the celebrity-laden Sundance Film Festival. The loss of tourist dollars from a boycott could seriously affect Utah's economy.

And it trickles down as another protest is emerging. Gay groups around the country are calling for a boycott against Cinemark Corporation because its Plano, Texas-based CEO Alan J. Stock donated nearly $10,000 to the campaign to pass Prop 8. Stock is also a member of the Mormon Church, according to AmericaBlog. Locally, Cinemark owns Century Theatres and CineArts in Evanston.

If you feel that Prop 8 violates human rights and want your voice to be heard, join the protest on Saturday. There are already more than 2,000 people expected to turn up to Federal Plaza. Will you be one of them? Let us really say Yes We Can.

Comments

[Teamster]

Marriage itself is consent . Legal boundries belong to the community .

[salidon]

Having Obama elected to the office of President was elating while, at the same time, a group of Americans were singled out so that they could not demonstrate the highest expression of love for another stirred up bitterness and disappointment. So much for humanity advancing for the better.

[kellygrrrl]

do these churches really think anyone wants to be married in a church that HATES them?

[kellygrrrl]

the real threat to traditional marriage is adultery.
if they really want to "protect the family" then they should vote to Eliminate the Rights of all adulterers to ever enter into a marriage.

[LordMoon]

Those who are against Gay marraige are against freedom. They are for more and more restrictions on our rights. If they succeed in this, don't think this will be the end of their plans for us.

Because the bottom line is they don't believe that people have the right to live, and to love the way they want to. They believe that they have the right to control what you do, and ultimately what you think.

They believe that they have the right to pass judgement on others, and this is what makes them a danger to an open society, and each and all of us.

[Robert59]

Ari,

You're not going to win this fight until you start making a clear definition between religiously sanctioned marriages and civil unions. We both know it's the state, not the church, synagogue, or mosque that gives legal teeth to a marriage, but most voters don't.

When they hear gay marriage they jump to the conclusion their church will be forced to wed two women or two men, something they religiously believe is wrong.

This battle needs to be reframed as a right to enter civil unions with the same legal protections as other civil unions. Separate it from religion and you'll get traction. Until then all you're doing is scaring the religious who think their pastor will be forced by the state to marry two men.

[SunDriedTomato]

There are marriage marches in every major city of the US this Saturday, November 15. Most start around noon and end around 2 p.m. Join The Impact!

[Badbone]

You suggest boycotting groups that don't support gay marriage. Would you suggest the other side boycott groups that do? Because you might want to be careful with that kind of reciprocation.

Right now, the anti gay marriage side is just a bunch of people that don't support gay marriage. But if you push them, you may just get more than you bargained for.

Instead, how about educating the people? You know, like we do in America?

[Emlyn]

ITS DISCRIMINATION, PLAIN AND SIMPLE!

[Romulus]

True. But just because something is discrimination does not, in itself, make it bad or wrong. There are good definitions of discrimanate too:


To make a clear distinction; distinguish: discriminate among the options available.

To make sensible decisions; judge wisely.

To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice: was accused of discriminating against women; discriminated in favor of his cronies.

VERB:
tr.

To perceive the distinguishing features of; recognize as distinct: discriminate right from wrong.

To distinguish by noting differences; differentiate: unable to discriminate colors.

To make or constitute a distinction in or between: methods that discriminate science from pseudoscience

[Nikola Tesla]

"Suffragettes carried out direct action such as chaining themselves to railings, setting fire to mailbox contents, smashing windows and on occasions setting off bombs."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragettes

[LeftRight]

I would be MORE than willing to boycott Cinemark if I went out to the movies.......