The incredible injustice of proposition 8

While the presidential election of 2008 was a massive success and a referendum on the horribly failed domestic and foreign policies of the Bush presidency; at the same time it was a sorrowful day for Americans everywhere. This country has proved that we have come quite a ways since the days of slavery, the days of the Jim Crow Laws and the resulting segregation of the South, and finally, the days of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s and 70’s. We hurdled over the race barrier and elected into office the first African American president in US history; this was truly epic in every manner and a massive historic event that will be looked back upon throughout the remaining years of our noble nation, no matter how many years that may be. However, we stumbled, quite hard at that, over another hurdle of civil rights and there are still Americans to this day who are denied the same natural born rights that everyone else in this country enjoys freely every day.

It was not long ago that the California Supreme Court, in an act of great prestige and equivalent justice, made clear for and protected the right of same sex marriage under our state constitution. Since that time it is estimated that between 16,000 and 18,000 members of the homosexual community have come together in the union of marriage and have started living their lives happily as one, just as many hetero couples do every day across this supposedly “equal” nation. California was an anomaly contrasted to the rest of the states in our union whom do not wish to treat everyone equally under the law. After the supreme courts decision I was extremely proud to be a native Californian; someone who was born and raised in a state progressive enough to make this monumental decision that was clearly a just verdict. Many in California opposed the courts ruling, possibly a majority. Many across the nation, a majority as well, openly oppose and refuse to allow same sex marriage, but we must all remember that just because blatant injustice is endorsed by the majority, that does not make the ensuing inequalities laid forth on the oppressed minority legitimate. If freedom, liberty, and civil rights were always deemed moral or immoral by the majority in this nation then slavery probably would have lasted well into the early 20th century and parts of the south might still be segregated to this day. On November 4th the oppressive majority in this state took to the polls and voted for hate, ignorance, bigotry, and for discrimination under the law. Discrimination is an evil that we, as humans, seem eternally doomed to endure but discrimination under the law is something else, something far worse.

The reasons and arguments put forth for the passing of the proposition are nothing short of absolutely preposterous and ridiculous. They are a thinly veiled attempt by the religious right to cover up their faith inspired hateful bigotry as decent Christian morals. Supporters of the ban on gay marriage argue that marriage is sacred and the meaning and what the word stands for should not be changed. Marriage is sacred? Really? The divorce rate in this country is over 50%. The divorce rate is higher in the evangelical, bible-belt south then it is on the west coast or in the northeast. Hetero couples who have come together under the “sanctity” of marriage go out and legally commit adultery every day in this country. If the argument of protecting marriage for its sanctity is going to fly then lets go ahead and vote for an amendment to the constitution forbidding all types of marriage because that is the only true way to protect it. Another argument often spewed out is that children raised in a homosexual household will have corrupt morals and be completely dysfunctional members of society. Let’s go ahead and take a look at the track record of children raised in households of hetero parents; I think it’s safe to assume this demographic makes up more then 99.9% of all children raised throughout human history. All the thieves, rapist, murderers, druggies, and generally messed up hate filled people in this world have been raised by non homosexual parents. And no, a child raised in a homosexual household will not grow up to be gay all the time; the parents make no difference at all in determining the sexual preference of the child. Children across America come out of the closet everyday that are being raised in hetero households. My favorite antigay argument is that the bible says homosexuality is a sin and all homosexuals will burn in hell. Its quite touching but that bigoted hate sermon will not and should not be of any consequence. I am under the impression that we have a system in this country where all levels and functions of state and federal government are separated from, and have nothing to do with, the various religious institutions that plague our society and stifle human social reform and development. Any proponent of the ban on same sex marriage who attempts to use the bible or religion in his or her argument should be immediately discredited and ignored. Everyone is welcome to their own beliefs, no matter how intolerant and evil they may be; but trying to impose your religious beliefs on others is absolutely despicable, especially when you are going about it through the legislative system. For those of you who voted yes on the proposition and defend your vote by claiming superior morals; who the hell do you think you are? Who are you to judge other peoples lifestyles? You are judging and denying rights to people whom you have never even met and probably will never meet in the future; the gay communities actions have an absolute zero affect on your own life. If you attempt to claim that their “immoral” actions affect your own life then here’s an argument from me using the same logic: We must abolish the second amendment now on the grounds that gun control and people having the right to own guns affects me directly, killing is immoral and in this country I could very well possibly meet my end by the bullet from a gun; that affects me directly. THERE IS UTTERLY NO WAY TO PROVE OR DISPROVE THE ANCIENT TEXTS OF ANY RELIGION OR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF GOD ITSELF! THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO KNOW SO WE MUST ALL COEXIST IN A STATE OF ACCEPTANCE. With this fact taken into mind, no person should ever have the power to tell someone else how to live their lives; it is incredibly selfish, presumptuous, and ignorant. Same sex marriage harms no one; it has no effect on the lives of those who oppose it. We must allow for same sex marriage to occur and for homosexual couples to be just as happy or miserable as all of the hetero couples out there.

Are you aware that the leading proponent and financial backer of the proposition 8 initiative was the Mormon Church of Utah? The Mormon Church!? Really!? Does anyone find this incredibly offensive, hypocritical, mind boggling and ironic all at the same time? This is a group of people who, in the 19th century, had to leave their homes in the eastern states along the Atlantic and travel half way across the continent to settle in Utah all because they were being discriminated against for their questionable marriage practices. I suppose according to Mormons: Marriage cannot consist of two individuals of the same sex; rather it should be between a man and multiple child bearing spouses. How the Mormons came to believe they claimed the moral high ground when it comes to marriage is beyond me. For anyone out there who is in support of the ban on gay marriage, at least be truthful when you give your reasons, stop lying. The arguments that have been given are completely false, illegitimate, and retarded all at the same time. If you’re going to deny equal rights to a very large, very real minority in this country then the least you can do is give the homosexual community the truth; stop insulting them with your BS! Just admit, you do not want homosexual marriage because you’re a bigot, an ignorant bigot filled with hate and confusion. The way I see it, faith inspired bigotry is the only reason one would vote yes on 8. Either that or because the person voting yes is deep down a closet homosexual and is too ashamed or disgusted to admit it so that person fights it in anyway they can. This second reason I just listed seems to be the fault of many ultra-conservative legislators who are the leading crusaders for a gay marriage ban amendment to our national constitution; isn’t that right Senator Larry Craig of Idaho? Have you been frequenting many airport bathroom stalls lately or just relaxing with the family attending church services?

Please my fellow friends, citizens, Americans, humans; let’s do the morally superior action and fight the result of proposition 8. Send a letter to your congressman/woman, spread the word to your friends, march in the streets, picket outside a church, do whatever you think will get attention and have a positive impact for the cause. Stand up today and defend the rights of your brothers and sisters no matter what your personal beliefs and convictions are. You may not see your fellow humans of the homosexual community in a positive or approving light; but that is irrelevant when it comes to natural born rights and the US legal system that sees us all as peers.