This is a political post...consider yourself fairly noted.
I just read an article about an interview that VP candidate Sarah Palin gave saying that she supports a federal ban on gay marriage. Here is the link to the article (if you can stomach reading it) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081021/ap_on_el_pr/palin_gay_marriage
Essentially, she says that she supports a ban on gay marriage, and wishes it would be acted on from a federal level. She believes that a marriage between man and woman is the foundation for strong families. Okay, I know there are people out there who agree with her. What I want to know is, why? And if any one is going to answer my question, don't stand on some misinterpretation of the bible to justify your prejudices. Because the bible can be used to justify almost any point of view, if you want it to.
I want to hear from some one (anyone)how a same sex couple has negatively impacted their life personally. I suspect there aren't many people who can give me a concrete example of how same sex couples are destroying the foundation of family.
I hear people saying that, "it's wrong. It destroys the moral fabric of society. The Bible says it's a sin."
To those people I say, "Believe what you want. But don't try to cram your beliefs down my throat. Truly give me an example of how someones choice in who they marry has affected your life on a personal level."
There was a point in history when marriage to some one of a different religion or nationality, or skin color was not accepted. I think that the majority of Americans now see that those beliefs were fear based and ridiculous. Can we PLEASE get to that point about same sex marriages? Marriage is based in love and commitment. The world certainly needs more love, so why are we trying to destroy and hide any form of it?
Palin says she is "tolerant" of gays. Really? Wow. That must be one of the most insulting things I have heard from her yet (and that's saying something). I find it incredibly offensive that she thinks it is her place to "tolerate" any one that lives a life she disagrees with. If anyone told me they are tolerant of who I am, I would be quite intolerant of them!
If some one told me they did not like Kevin, but would "tolerate" my marriage to him, I would have said, "then don't come to our wedding, and don't come to our home." What if, our government had tried to tell me that we couldn't marry? Do you see my point? The thought is so incredibly absurd that I can't even process it!
I'm actually so disgusted, that words are now failing me. I may be back to edit this post once I calm down, and can be more eloquent in my thoughts.
8 comments:
You crazy liberal. Here's how I feel about it. Maybe it will all become clear.
I truly don't believe that you could be more eloquent! What you have said goes right to the heart of the matter. - Religious beliefs do NOT belong in politics. While I understand that our country was founded by persons with certain religious beliefs, they DID NOT say in our Constitution that religion should play a part in any governmental decision making process. As a matter of fact, the opposite is said - there will be a separation of religion and state. Not those exact words mind you, but you get my point.
As far as I am concerned, people - no matter their religion, ethnicity, political affiliation or sexual preference or . . . (bla bla bla) should be able to profess their commitment and love toward each other by having a ceremony of marriage. That should include any and all benefits of a marriage recognized by the federal, state and local governments.
Ok, I've made my point. Stepping off of the soap box to give another person their chance to speak. (or babble even!)
Donna Hurley
(Pat's wife!)
Thanks! I don't even know where to start. Thank you for getting angry and thank you for speaking up. The more straight folks that do that the better. It's the only way people will listen. Also why there is such an importance for gays to come out to family, friends and co-workers. You are right, there is no good reason. It's based on fear and ignorance.
Each election cycle gays are used by the Republicans to try and divide this country and to bring religion into politics. This act of separating the society of this country needs to be looked at carefully. There is a lot of talk about race in this election along with religion (Muslim mostly) and yes sexual orientation. This idea that certain groups are scary and will somehow harm our society and should be feared can very look like the Germany under Hitler. We need to look out because over the last 8 years Bush and his cronies have done some serious damage to the true concept of America - freedom and equality for all. Unfortunately McCain has lost any sense of his once Maverick self and is now a cog in the Republican machine. And yes then there is Palin. She is Bush in a dress which scares me to death. When all you have left to run on are gays, race, and religion I guess it means the end is near. Hopefully, that is true for the McCain/Palin ticket, the end of this wild roller coaster ride of hate that as a gay woman I have been riding for 8 years. It's coming to a head. I'm either going to start feeling some since of respect or forced to wear a triangle and be taken off to a camp.
I'm glad that others have the courage to speak up too! I wish that more people would.
Donna-it's good to hear from you!
Well, until just recently marriage has been defined as a union between a man and a woman. When that was changed I don’t know. I know that in all the dictionaries we have in our house say between a man and a woman. I fully believe that's how marriage should continue to be defined. It’s not that I don’t think people of the same sex shouldn’t be in a union I just believe it shouldn’t be called a marriage. Give it a different term. I believe they should be given all the same rights once they are in a union as a couple in a marriage. I don’t see why a word has to have a new definition when it has had one for centuries. I don’t want it to be a generic term. I don’t want to have to use an adjective to know if it’s between a couple of the same sex or of the opposite sex. It’s not a political thing to me. It’s not a religious thing to me.
Sheila,
You bring up an interesting perspective. It's one that I haven't heard before.
My questions would be: what word would you recommend? Does giving something a different name automatically continue the segregation?
Plus, I'm not sure when or why an adjective would be needed to determine if a marriage is same sex or hetero. I never refer to Kev as "my spouse" but always as my husband ("him,he, Kev" etc.. Which automatically implies his gender. The couples I know who are in same sex marriages, refer to their spouse in the gender specific term. Example: Jess is Kathy's wife. So that would imply that it is a same sex marriage.
I'm curious to hear your perspective, and others.
Thanks to every one who has replied so far. I feel strongly that this is a conversation that needs to be happening much more than it is in our society.
I don't have a word in mind. Maybe ther is a perfect word that's out there already or maybe it's a word that needs to still come to life. This reminds me of a book that came out when I worked at the library. It was about a boy who decided one day to call a pen a frindel. He had boxes of them made with "frindel" on them and soon kids started calling a pen by that name and by the time he was started college it was in the dictionary. I know Rachel Ray has used EVOO on her show and it's been used so much now they just added it. Maybe it can be the word we come up with, I mean we have family all ove the USA and with bloggs and other sites we are on we could make a difference.
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