It is remarkable that it took only one day for our beautiful country to show its greatest potential and its greatest challenge. And that day was Tuesday. In the morning, I was inspired by the President's nomination of Justice Sonia Sotomayor for a seat on the Supreme Court. Yet, in the afternoon I was deeply saddened by the decision made by the California Supreme Court upholding Proposition 8.
It pains me that we have come to a point in this country where we use the ballot box to address the civil rights of our people. If President Johnson had to take a vote, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would not have passed. If Congress took a vote in 1920, women may still not have the right to vote today. And if President Lincoln went to the polls, blacks would definitely have endured many more years of slavery. We trusted our government to make the right decision and protect the minority, and yesterday we, as a nation, failed.
Unfortunately, most of the arguments against these monumental advancements of our country's history have been deeply rooted in religion; and in my opinion the misuse of religion. Let's remove religion from this discussion, and focus on the greatest gift religion has given all of us, the ability to love. And as an African-American, I urge my own people to take a deep look at our own struggles and not wish them upon anyone else. Simply, civil rights for all is about being connected as humans, united, tolerant, loving and brave.
We have come such a long way in this country. Let's us not stop now. Vermont and Maine have done the right thing by legalizing same sex marriage, and I am extremely supportive of my own Governor, David Paterson, to follow suit in New York.
In my heart, I know that marriage equality for every human being isn't a question of if, but only a matter of when. I ask those who feel that giving freedom to others somehow binds you, to please take a good look at what you are standing behind. It is only through opening your hearts will you be able to see that by promoting freedom for all, you are unchaining yourself. I guess I'm an optimist. I have faith in people and our government ultimately to do the right thing. And to my brothers and sisters in California, I'm there with you every step of the way until that day comes...
Thank you for it.
I stand with you and all people who are still awaiting their civil rights.
Don't forget, it wasn't very long ago that Catholics faced discrimination in this country, it wasn't okay then and it's not okay now.
This is what I suggest: Butt out of their lives, worry about your own, start having some respect for the principles this nation was founded upon.
At what point do people read the story of Isaac, bound up and nearly sacrificed by his father over a hallucination and a disembodied voice that no one else hears?
At what point do people in the modern world look back and say "That guy must have been schizophrenic to hear voices and talk to bushes..."
I have NEVER fallen for any of that stuff and I'm getting a more than a bit tired of people who keep insisting that the invisible space god is going to rain down fury on a person after their life functions have ceased in something completely unproven and ridiculous as the concept of the afterlife. Why do I have to tolerate people controlling my life over something I don't even think exists and I never did believe in God? Atheists are sometimes just born that way like the LGBTs are born the way they are. I'm not even gay and I am totally fed up with Christians.
Following is an article of interest:
http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m5d27-Prop-8-court-decision-denies-civil-rights
Raymond Gellner – Charlotte Liberal Examiner at Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-11326-Charlotte-Liberal-Examiner
That said, if two men or two women can marry, I think we have to rethink polygamy. Why can't a man marry two or three or four women? Why can't a woman have two husbands? Without the religious grounds for the current marriage rules, the government should have no business deciding who or how many people can marry. Laws against polygamy should be repealed at the same time that gay marriage laws are enacted.
If a man can marry a woman, why can't he marry his sister? She's a woman. nothing to do with gay marriage.
If a man can marry a woman, why can't he marry a 10 year old girl? She will be a woman.nothing to do with gay marriage.
If you are so hot for polygamy, practiced, as far as I can tell, 99.99% by heterosexuals, then join a movement. we gay people arenot advocating it. It is a separate issue that must be argued on its own merits. We're not doing it.
Government should NOT be involved when it comes to marriage, which is a religious RITE, not a constitutional RIGHT. All unions should be honored by the government when it comes time to hand out the benefits. The RITE of marriage, however, has NOTHING to do with government - it has to do with religion.
Why it is that pro gay-marriage fanatics fail to recognize this is beyond me. And, why a person that was persecuted and enslaved would think that government licensure of marriage - ANY marriage, would be a good thing.
Sadly, I do think this gay marriage "thing" will happen. Instead of RIGHTS and FREEDOMS, more will be denied - the exact opposite of how things should be. You should be free to do what you want! There should be NO legal "marriage". Only civil unions. You pro gay-marriage folks are truly wrong.
After reading your opening line, I had to check if this piece was current or from the week of (Tuesday) November 4th. On that Tuesday, too, we were heartbroken. After months of campaigning for Obama, raising money and being terrified of what would happen if he didn't win, we were not able to enjoy this victory because as a gay couple who had gotten legally married 5 days before, we no longer knew our status. More painfully, citizens of our state had taken an active step to tell us we were less than most.
Following the passage of Prop 8, I began getting tons of emails about how "unacceptable" it was for gays to be denied marriage, how "angry" people were and how we should take to the streets with the thousands of others who did so. My "husband" and I did not. We thought it was too little too late from too many who didn't say or do much to help defeat Prop 8 WHEN IT MATTERED.
Which brings me to your piece here. PLEASE, I urge you, to put this article into video, put it up on YouTube, buy air time and advertise it leading up to the next fight to legalize gay marriage - wherever it may be. I truly believe that if this argument was made back in October, from leaders such as yourself, Prop 8 would not have had a chance.
Let's not repeat that mistake.
I have the ability to love despite being atheist.
Religion is not a pre-requisite for love
My grandma is 90 years old now. I am lucky, I still have her. She’s ailing, and I am afraid I won’t for long. But I often wish all other human beings born to earth had parents or grandparents like her. World would be free of discrimination. Today, when I call her, I’ll tell her just that. I know it’ll make her happy, and I know what she’ll respond .”I’m nowhere near that important”. To me, she is.
Under these circumstances, I think the best outcome is what is currently going on i.e. people voicing the opinions at the state level and changing their state constitutions as they see fit.
A civil right is a right given and protected by a government, thus these rights may be restricted if there is dire state interest: national security, keeping guns out of a felon’s hands, protecting children. In all of these cases the government is able to restrict civil liberties; the interest of society outweighs the interest of the individual.
A human right is much more sacred. Marrying the person of your choice is on the same par autonomy. Surely you would not be for a marriage screening process or birth licenses. And if you slept through 19th century American history, hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives to prove, once and for all, no state has the power to restrict basic human liberty.
To me its also an economic and health issue. Gay people who continue to feel alienated by their own government and fellow citizens will often choose to act out out of desperation. Give gays the rights they deserve and I believe they will feel like full citizens and will act more responsibly......married people who have the same opportunities to serve their country and to feel accepted in society tend to be more responsible, right?