Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- For All
Wake up America! A huge battle for rights is about to be voted on in Maine. This will effect everyone from sea to shining sea.
Just like in California in 2008, rights that have already been granted will be voted on. Everyone was shocked when California lost marriage equality -- do you know that the same thing could happen in Maine on November 3rd?
Are you ready to do something about it?
The level of outrage across the country was small solace to the thousands of California residents that had their marriage rights, and in some cases their actual marriage, taken away from them. Maine already has a law on the books that allows same sex couples to marry -- and religious groups who do not agree, the right not to perform those ceremonies.
It's fair. It's about the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Church and state are separate, as is dictated by our constitution.
I'm married. I'm a lesbian. I have three children. I pay taxes, coach my son's soccer team, go to the grocery store and generally live a pretty quiet life. And I'm really sick of having to say that. My kids all went to public elementary schools in Massachusetts and never once were taught about gay marriage or ANY marriage in school.
Ever.
It is exhausting to have to deal with some religious group's determination to have their beliefs be the guideline for law. I don't care what they believe, I simply want them to leave me alone. I want the right to leave my wife my property, the right to visit her in the hospital, the right to have our children's parents legally recognized.
I'm not going to their church. Why do they want to shove their values down my throat? And why one church and not another? We look at Middle Eastern countries run by Islamic law and think, bad bad bad. But it's okay for the Catholic church to decide what is ok and not ok to have as a law?
Did I mention that no church would be forced to perform these ceremonies? As if I'd want one who thinks I'm going to hell to recognize my lifetime commitment to my wife. Have an ounce of common sense, please.
Are you all listening? Are you all aware that this is a state vote with national ramifications? Because I know the other side is pouring in money from all over the country to try and take rights away.
Take rights away. My rights. I'm not taking away their rights. I have no interest. I believe in free speech and the separation of church and state. Raise your kids to think God hates fags. I'm going to raise mine to believe you have the right to free speech.
I love Maine. I believe in the people of Maine. But the hateful lies being sent out by the folks who would strip away rights have been packaged in tidy little ads that do not require any truth. Save the little, doe-eyed girl from evil homosexuals. Such bullshit.
We are families. We will continue to have children, be active in government, work at jobs, pay our taxes. We'll be in the grocery store telling our kids no to the sugar-filled cereal just like everyone else. We will go to church -- the ones that welcome us -- and watch football on Sunday afternoons.
Unless they want to take away those rights, too.
And ask yourself, what's next? What right will they deem unacceptable in their view for LGBT people to have -- already we cannot serve in the military openly, we cannot marry, we can be fired from jobs, denied housing. Maybe they'll take away our right to vote.
Wake up, America. The world changes, and women are no longer property, African Americans no longer slaves, and the goal of equality isn't about taking things away. It's about the constitution recognizing everyone.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
For all.
Do something about it. Don't wait until it's too late.
Mike Lux: We All Sink or Swim Together
Conservatives understand that a headline the day after the Maine initiative about them succeeding at rolling back the gay marriage bill helps them build momentum, and helps deflate and discourage progressives.
Emma Ruby-Sachs: Rosie and Kelli Split and Remind Us About the Fight For Gay Divorce
Rosie and Kelli are in the midst of what should be a pretty normal problem. But the legal protections for divorce, like for so many other issues, leave LGBT people out.
David Vines: Our Generation's Defining Struggle
Whether we like it or not, the fight for gay rights will be our struggle. Gay rights, not just the legal institution of marriage, but indeed rights, is what we must fight for.
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WOW! Well said...for me, coming out wasn't that bad...even though i struggled for so long...the toughest part of it all was making the decision to leaving family to finally accept myself for who i was and stop living a LIE...the catholic church played a huge role in my decision to delay my coming out for so long...i would go to confession only to find my homosexuality did not go away...eve
NOW!!! after a five long years, i can truly say i'm happy, my kids love me, and i "get along" with my ex-wife, i have a wonderful partner whom i love deeply...w
BUT, i'm sick and tired of people in this country who cannot let go of this issue...st
Here's to Matthew Shepherd ... I'm so glad your parents did not give up the fight!
We can say it's about equal rights for all citizens, which it is, but the truth is, it's about recognizing gay people as equal human beings. Face it, many people don't or they would never even bring up issues like this. They do not recognize the humanity of gay people or they wouldn't treat them as less than human.
Great article. What's amazing to me is that gays are still viewed (by a fairly large percentage of the population) as a group not needing protections from discrimination. WTF! What other group, in this day and age, goes through this? It's surreal, being a part of a group that so many people hate. My partner of four years and I have a great life, but living in a world that denigrates who we are is downright exhausting. The religious right feels offended by our existence, and wants us to disappear. God forbid, one of their kids may turn out gay! It's just complete ignorance, but we are supposed to honor their beliefs, and treat their beliefs with utmost dignity, while they maliciously try to prevent us from existing. Seriously, this is what evil looks like.
God it's good to see somebody else who is as pissed off as I am :-)
We need more people to get angry like this and be the squeeky wheel that drowns out the noise of the other squeeky wheels that get all the attention, even if they are a smaller minority than we are
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