Protest Proposition 8
Posted: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 – 9:14 p.m. CST
I try not to plaster too many of my own personal beliefs online (though from this blog, it's obvious that I'm an unapologetic vegan) as it might creep into my work in the professional world. Nonetheless, I feel like I have to say something about Proposition 8 that was passed one week ago as a ballot proposition in California with 52% of the vote. The proposition amends/rewrites the California constitution to define marriage between one man and one woman effectively barring gay marriage. The measure was supported heavily financially by certain religious groups and received massive voter support from African-Americans and Latinos.
Regardless of who supported it, I think it's a sad day in America when outright discrimination is written into any constitution. I honestly lament that we are so socially retarded and are light-years now behind Europe and Canada. And don't tell me to move to Europe or Canada, because the U.S. is my country too, and I will fight for what I think is right.
There has been a lot of invective thrown about in online blog comments, and I thought I'd just highlight a few bits of what I've seen and why it pisses me off and throw a bit of invective myself:
The people have voted, and a majority have spoken for the one man one woman model of marriage, so stop going through the backdoors of the courts to get your way.
and other statements of it's ilk.
First of all, despite being a technical simple majority, it seems sort of ridiculous to me that the fundamental document of a state can be rewritten willy-nilly with a simple majority vote. Secondly, the courts are designed to protect the minority, in this case a whopping 48% of the voters, from denying rights to the minority.It says in the bible that homosexuality is wrong. God is right, he said it, end of story.
This is where I throw my hands up because right there the separation of church and state falls apart and there really isn't any arguing against people's god. You just can't win because there is no rational arguing. We do not live in a Christian theocracy, so do not even try to use that as an argument.- And of course the slippery-slope
If we let gay marriage happen, then all the folks who want to marry their sister, mother, twin cousins, dog, cat, turkey baster will demand marriage
. Do we really need to justify this argument with a response? COME ON.
The list of redonqulousness goes on and on, but my big question is What the fuck are you afraid of if gay people can get married?. I mean seriously, enumerate and rationalize the consequences - but realistic ones. I have yet to see a single convincing argument against it.
I digress. There's a nationwide protest of Proposition 8 this Saturday, November 15, 2008 in cities across the U.S. Check out http://www.jointheimpact.com/. Get out in your city and protest if you care. I know I'll be there in Chicago.