Will Proposition 8 go to bed with you at night?
I've been quiet about politics lately when, ironically, I am more jazzed and excited than ever before about this coming election. Having a new baby has redirected much of my energy, but I still have enough to be outraged, no more like baffled, really, over all the support for Proposition 8, which has the audacity to suggest it will restore traditional marriage. It's boggling enough that it's so close to passing here in the state I like to pretend is so liberal (CA). It's downright sickening to see parents gathering their innocent young children on street corners with signs supporting what has got to be one of the most unconstitutional propositions I've seen in a long time.
This idea that voting yes will "restore" traditional marriage is hilarious. It assumes a) that there ever was anything such as traditional marriage rather than the millions of variations that exist, but which people don't like to talk about (open marriages, marriages in which one person is gay but can't come out and so takes a "safe" path, marriages of convenience, for green cards, of obligation, "for the children's sake", marriages borne of being too young, too stupid and too afraid to be alone, etc. ad infinitum). And b) you tell me how something passed through the state legislature will walk into people's homes and "restore" marriage.
Will this proposition come with a manual for how to communicate better with your spouse? Will it teach you to be more compassionate, loving, dedicated, loyal or supportive? Will it watch the kids so you can have a break? Will it help you have a better sex life, or stop your abusive partner from beating you? I don't think so.
I know the problem with being passionate about an issue is that the people on the other side are also passionate but I just honestly can't wrap my brain around how anyone believes that two people of the same sex who want to get married threatens ANYthing whatsoever (except their own simple-mindedness).
What are they so afraid of??
I'm voting NO on 8 and I'm unabashed about it.
posted by Jordan E. Rosenfeld @ 3:29 PM
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1 Comments:
My gf and I were walking through the BART station with "No on 8" stickers on our clothes and a guy dressed all in black and silver struck up a conversation with us about the game we'd just watched and then said suddenly, "You know, I'm voting no on 8. My neice, she's like you two. I'm okay with it."
The impetuous part of me scoffed that he thought I needed him to "be okay with it," but my heart's majority appreciated what it must have meant for him to reach out and say that to two women who had been derisively called dykes back at the Oakland Coliseum by a fella in a group that looked just like his batch of friends standing all around him on the BART escalator.
It's small steps. Fingers crossed. Thanks, J!
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