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  1. I don't post about politics. I have my views and other people have theirs. To be honest, I don't even really talk about politics. Have you ever had a political discussion with somebody you disagreed with and felt better afterwards? After such a discussion, has anyone ever said to you, or you to them, "You know, you're right. I've changed my mind?" Me either. That's not to say that I don't enjoy hearing other people's differing points of view. There's just something about politics, though, that makes people a little crazy. I can hardly even tolerate political conversations with my mother, and I agree with everything she is saying.

    I think a lot of what I loathe about politics is the whole us vs. them mentality. There's this group and that group. Everything this group does is right, and nothing that group has ever done has been good or decent. There is no gray. I think the media makes these divisions even more pronounced. The whole red states vs. blue states thing bothers me. Because nobody lives in a red state or a blue state. We all live in purple states. Different shades of purple, to be sure - some are bordering on indigo and others on magenta, but we're all still purple. I find a comfort in that.

    And then my state went and voted in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. And I'm disgusted. And I'm saddened. And I'm so relieved that I live in a blue county. I don't talk about politics, but this is not a political issue. It's a human rights issue, and I wouldn't feel right if I let this moment pass without saying something. The arguments I have heard in favor of this ban are blatant bigotry, veiled bigotry, or fly in the face of the very foundation of what our county is supposed to stand for (oh, and they are bigoted, too). Let's first get the definition of bigotry out of the way. I don't use the term lightly, but it's warranted here. "Bigotry - Stubborn and compete intolerance of any creed, belief or opinion that differs from ones own." And can we all agree that bigotry is a bad thing?

    So, the blatant bigotry. There are those that just think homosexuality is wrong. Fine. Be a bigot. And just as I should not be able to pass a law forbidding you to live your bigoted lifestyle and raise children in your narrow belief system, you cannot pass laws preventing someone else from living their lifestyle and pursuing their happiness. Oh, yeah, and their choices DO NOT AFFECT YOU IN ANY WAY!

     Now for the veiled bigotry. The "I have nothing against homosexuality but feel that the sanctity of marriage should be protected" folks. Really? REALLY?!?! Half of all marriages end in divorce. Half of them. If we're truly concerned about the sanctity of marriage, I'm pretty sure that heterosexuals have had their turn and failed pretty miserably. I think, you know, for the sanctity of marriage and all, that we should hand this thing over to another group and see if they can do a better job. A group who hasn't tarnished it already. I don't know, gay people, maybe?

    And then there's the religious reasons. The bible says homosexuality is wrong. This is my favorite argument, really, because it's the easiest to poke a hole in. There's this little thing called the separation of church and state. So, if your reasoning here is religious, that whole mixing religion and government has already been decided.

    And can we stop with the whole, "I voted for the ban, but that doesn't mean I don't love and respect my gay friends and family?" That's like when someone says, "I'm not a racist. Some of my best friends are black." I didn't understand why that comment was racist until someone I knew in college said it to me, and it suddenly became very clear. Yes, you may have friends or family who are gay, black, fill in the blank, but when you meet a new person, you don't see the white person or the straight person the same way you see the black person or the gay person. And that is the definition of bigotry, racism and intolerance. You don't truly love and respect someone if you don't think they should be afforded the same rights and chances at happiness as you have. It's as simple as that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to paint a blue square around my house.