Prop Hate
Amidst all of the excitement, enthusiasm and hope at the election of Barack Obama and all that it says about our progress as a nation and a people, some things happened on Tuesday that should remind us of how far we still have to go, as measures that would deny the basic rights of American citizens passed in several states.
In California it's called Prop 8 and it provides a constitutional amendment banning gay men and women from marrying, a right that already existed and is now going to be cruelly, intolerably and unnecessarily taken away. How anyone could vote for such abject discrimination is beyond my comprehension.
I watched on my television as the Prop 8 supporters -- the ones who creepily spent their time and money restricting the rights of their fellow citizens -- cheered and hugged each other at their victory party. Victory over what? How are their lives changed? If these revelers were married before the proposition passed, I assume they are still married. If they weren't married, I assume they'll still have just as much trouble finding love for their loveless hearts. So what did they gain?
The dirty secret among these people is that their precious definition of marriage, as that which occurs between a man and a woman, doesn't actually strengthen a single union. The only thing it does is marginalize, ostracize and villainize human beings whose only crime is that they want to be treated equally in a country that declares for its citizens that very equality in its founding document.
It's easy for many of us to simply move on now because it doesn't affect us. Well, I don't want to move on, because this law that aims to define marriage doesn't have anything to do with marriage at all. This law actually and only aims to define some of us as something less than the rest of us. And that kind of law diminishes everyone.
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This is such a travesty. Why are we 'hanging' on to some institutions (marriage) like this? My hope is with my children (ages 18 and 22) who are completely dumbfounded by the resistance to change in this area. They are saying things like, "why should we care if two people choose to love each other, that is just stupid".
And it really is as simple as that.
Change will come, it will unfortunately take some of our older ideas and fears dying off to get there... but it will come.
Has anyone actually looked at the demographics of who voted for Prop 8. I suspect that this is the unintended consequenses of the GOTV effort of the Obama campaign particularly the african american vote. Interesting.
It is -- blacks supported Prop 8 3 to 1; the lopsided majority among blacks, coupled with exceptionally high turn-out among blacks, pushed it over the top.
Black people make up 7% of CA population so I doubt that you can blame black people for that issue.
EVERYBODY SIGN THIS ANS FWD TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS
http://www
MORMON CHURCHES WILL HAVE TO PAY TAXES IF THEY GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS.
Strip the Mormon church of its status as a religious organization.
Through Prop 8, the Mormon Church has shown its true colors as a political group with specific social ends. Political speech under the guise of religion is NOT LEGAL.
psst....Do Something!
Thank you for the above link. I think people have an almost instinctive fear of saying anything against any church. Funny how the church does not have the same fear of meddling in the lives of people who do not even adhere to its tenants--in another state no less!
Eve on a personal level, I find myself walking on tiptoe so as not to accidently offend the super-religious folks we have in abundance where I live. I NEVER bring up the subject of religions. I couldn't care less what beliefs the people I work with have. So, I have never understood how they can feel comfortable demanding of me, "Have you taken Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior?", and refusing to take, "Sorry, I think religion is a personal matter," for an answer.
The evangelical have too much influence in government. It cannot continue this way.
Taking away the rights of others, and then rejoicing in it, has got to be among the most un-Christian of acts.
It may not be Jesus-like, but I think you should review what constitutes a "Christian" act in modern times. Rejoicing in destroying another's rights is very prevalent. Those who cling to the teachings of Jesus should consider bailing on the whole "Christian" thing.
In my somewhat humble opinion.
On the other hand, groups like the League of Women Voters are tax-exempt organizations, but they still spend money to advocate for ballot initiatives.
I'm disgusted by the Mormon Church's intolerant views on Prop. 8 and other issues, but legislation should be constructive, not a tool of political retribution. In a way, using laws to punish the Mormon Church for their views is just as wrong as their efforts to pass Prop. 8.
Before you reply to this, think about it -- If the shoe were on the other foot, would you think it was fair?
I was listening to Ronn Owens on KGO on my way to work this morning and a few interesting but sad things became clear:
1. Prop 8 was largely funded by the Mormon Church.
2. Despite my better hopes (I'm not gay, but grew up near SF) many people let themselves be swayed by the fear mongering rhetoric with religious overtones surrounding the initiative.
3. It only takes a 50% vote of the population on a ballot initiative to amend the CA constitution while it Takes 2/3 vote of state legislature to pass a budget. SCARY and needs to be changed.
I voted against Prop 8 and am shocked and dismayed that it passed. I hope the legal issues surrounding it provide the ability to contest it with the Supreme Court.
"Well, I don't want to move on, "
I don't either! I am PISSED! And yes the passage of this legal discrimination completely killed the joy I felt at Obama's election.
Yesterday was a great day to be black but yet another crappy day to be gay in this country, at least in California (oh, & Arizona & Florida too!)
I say we steal a page out of the Dr.King handbook and start acts of civil disobedience. This is a Civil Rights issue.
I feel like chaining myself to the fence outside the Mormon Temple On Santa Monica Blvd... I'm serious.
Let's BOYCOTT UTAH!
Hell! I don't know, we've got to do something! We can't play nice & wait for ignorant people to finally GRANT us our civil rights & ALLOW us to marry
This really stinks!
It is too late to go backwards to your strategy because our California Supreme Court already granted the right to marry to gays, declared the right to marry a fundamental right and declared that Gays are a protected class.
I say take marriage out of Gov. completely and just have the states issue a Family license granting equal rights to all takers. If the Country does not want to extend marriage to gays then no one should get a marriage license from the Government. Simple, separate church from state. What a concept. Also, allows for equal application of the law.
One federal Act...say the "Marriage Act" could put an end to all this madness.
Hey, that's pretty cool, M1.
Yes, absolutely yes.
I am a straight woman and the passage of prop 8 makes me really angry. I think that people who hide behind their religion to justify institutionalizing their prejudices are really evil. Marginally below people who commit genocide.
20 people in Pacifica donated to support this proposition:
Judy Cooley $5,000.00; Vasiteni J. Teaupa $4,420.00; Lawrence Mc Gee $1,000.00; Amy Benning $550.00; Ana Faivailo $500.00; Daniel Taysom $500.00; David Hart $500.00;
Dean Cook $500.00; Inoke Havili $500.00; Katherine Bingham $500.00; R Glenn Laymon $500.00; Charles Mcvey $248.00; Gabrielle Adams $125.00; Alisa Clifford $100.00; Barbara Kirkpatrick $100.00; Carolyn Lee $100.00; Katalina Tauheluhelu $100.00; Leeann Nelson $100.00; Lorraine Johnson $100.00; Mildred Angeles $100.00
I can only hope that the universe seems fit to make sure these people and their loved ones personally feel what a terrible thing it is to experience instatutionalized prejudice.
This is amazing, that these people have nothing better to do with their money except to perpetuate hate. Aren't there any needy people where they live? No soup kitchens that could use a buck or two or three? No homeless shelters? No underfunded schools? No underfunded animal shelters? Nothing?
I feel like taking the time to look up the addresses for these people and writing them a letter asking them how they can sleep at night knowing that by contributing to this proposition they not only spread hate but withheld funds from those that could really use a hand.
I bet all these people go to church and think they're good Christians. Blech.
What really bugs me about all this is, California's 55 Electoral Votes went to Barack Obama! It's like California said, "We'll elect the black guy, but you gays aren't human."
Shameful. Simply shameful.
Prop 8 is nothing more than religiously motivated hate legislation. Pure and simple.
I am gay and I live in California. I can not fully describe the deep pain caused by the almost passing of Prop 8 (3 million votes not yet counted and we are behind by only 400,000) as it swept away my joy of Obama's win. Here we were standing with our fellow brothers and sisters to reach for equality and the American Promise for everyone not just for some. To think it wa our Black and Hispanic brothers and sisters who voted in large percentages in favor of prop 8. Wow, how ironic is that? I say to these Black and Hispanic Californian's who voted for prop 8....Meet the New boss....ju
The Courts will sort this out as it flies in the face of the Founding Principal of Equality for which our State Constitution is based which should preclude its implementation.
Very well said. Something must be done. We need federal legislation to make all Americans Equal.
I'm Canadian. When I was born 42 years ago, there was a person in prison because he was gay (Everett George Klippert). Being gay was de-criminalized a few years later (see "the government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation" quote). Slowly, the tide turned: no job/housing discrimination, extened benefits, military service, etc. Finally, province by province, marriage, and in one fell swoop, the whole country (however, our advantage is that marriage is the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government).
It was excruciatingly slow at first, but once the momentum built up, discrimination fell very quickly. I am assuming the same thing will happen in the 'States, but because of the much larger population, it will take a little more effort to overcome the inertia.
PS. For those who noticed, if marriage is federal in Canada, how was it granted province by province? It's complicated, but in a nutshell, provinces 'administer' marriage, but federal law defines it--the federal courts in the provinces said that same-sex marriage wasn't forbidden, therefore a province must administer same-sex marriage. This had to be done province by province, until only Alberta (effectively) held out.
One day, actual equality will exist in all of the U.S., and no longer will 'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" come with a hidden clause ('unless you're ...'). Hang in there, hopefully it will be sooner than you think.
The gay community just needs to get smart about this. First, promote the civil unions throughout the country by getting laws on the books in all the states. Next, quietly pass laws saying partners in civil unions have the same rights as married people have to a variety of issues such as community property, pensions, social security. Don't call it marriage if you don't want the crazies to come out.
And second, get aggressive about this. Go after the mormons, who are now using anti-gay bigotry as their biggest recruitment and fund-raising tactic. Sponsor a new proposition for the next election banning marriage between mormons. Begin immediately circulating the petitions, holding fundraisers. Maybe picket their churches and homes. Get aggressive, get up in their faces just like they are getting up in the faces of gays. Most people don't care about this issue, although they may be easily swayed by an extremely well-financed campaign such as the one run by the mormons. So, time to start running campaigns against the mormons. Make it uncomfortable for them so they stop attacking gays. And file complaints to have investigations and audits done to take away their tax exempt status. Get tough.
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