Regular readers already know how I feel about Prop 8 and the Marriage Equality issue. Why, in a country where Constitutionally "all men are created equal," do we still have legalized discrimination? Why is my love less valid than anyone else's? Ignorance breeds fear, folks. Plain and simple.
You've all seen the NOM (National Organization for Marriage) video "The Gathering Storm." I've posted it, along with several parodies of it. It's a vile, disgusting little video filled with lies voiced by "actors" who claim to be people who have been or will be hurt by the legalization of same sex marriage (I'd venture to guess that these "actors" will never work professionally, again).
Recently, New York Governor David Paterson introduced a bill that would legalize same sex marriage in the Empire State. The Empire State Pride Agenda has made their own video, disputing and dispelling the lies that the NOM espouses in "The Gathering Storm." Same sex marriage has been legal in the state of Massachusetts for five years. The world has not ended, straight marriages have not been destroyed and families have not been torn asunder. No church has been forced to perform marriages with which they do not agree.
Via Towleroad, comes this video, featuring three Massachusetts clergy who make it clear that the NOM video is a pack of lies:
Once again, I urge you to write to your elected officials and demand that members of the LGBT community be treated as equal citizens. Share this video with them (and your friends and families). As Spike Lee says, Do the Right Thing.
40 years ago, Bob Dylan sang about how "The times they are a-changing." They are still changing, as they always will. Someday, this issue will no longer be an issue. Until then, we must make our voices heard. Until we are all treated as equals, none of us will be.
I know, I know. I keep promising to get off my high horse. But somehow, I just can't do it. Not until true justice is served and everyone in this country shares the same basic human rights. And neither should you.
More nonsense, anon.
Prospero
I agree with you. LGBT issues are complicated and very hard to relate to other discrimination issues:
ReplyDelete1. Race is obvious - you can't hide it and you are born that way. It is the example most used because is is the most recent.
2. Religion - I have yet to hear this but no one is born jewish or catholic etc, you are RAISED the religion of your parents/people who raise you - their is no doubt about nature vs. nurture here. However history is rich with religious persecution and our country was founded or religious freedom.
To me, this would be the best argument for a hate crimes bill since they say we choose to be gay. If there are hate crimes for religion then there should be for gays as well.
Finally, all other minorities have their family and community for support. Gays don't or didn't until recently. What other minority is so completely rejected by it's family and friends? I think fewer murderers are rejected by their family then gay children.
One final thought. One of my friends was telling the story of his coming out. His mother didn't reject him, still loved him but had a very hard time accepting him. He told her that it was okay because it took him a long time to accept himself but he eventually did and that she had the same amount of time or she would loose him. She accepted him with time to spare. I think that's what will happen with gay rights, given more time we will be equal and accepted.
We lost an entire generation to AIDS the years they would have fought for gays rights and to build the gay community were spent fighting for their lives.
I've always said, "What moron would deliberately choose to a member of the single most hated minority on the planet?"
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