I am happy that we have a new president. I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm hopeful.
But at the end of this historic election I am also very sad.
I've read everything that I can on both sides of the Proposition 8 campaign. I've tried to understand how Christians justify their position of bigotry.
They argue that marriage is sacred and that it is between a man and a woman.
They argue that change is bad for our country, for our children.
They argue that children will be corrupted by learning about the love of a man and a man. Or the love of a woman and a woman.
They argue that our culture is being corrupted by this love.
They argue that this isn't about civil unions, but about marriage--that marriage is their term to define, their term to raise their children by. They argue for ownership of this word.
They live in fear.
This is not about children.
This is not about corrupting our culture.
This isn't about marriage and how it's defined and by whom.
This is about discrimination. And persecution. And about second-class citizenship.
It's about civil rights.
The exorbitant funding of Yes on Eight's campaign by the Mormon Church will be seen as one of the ugliest things 21st century Americans did in the name of Christianity, in the name of religion.
This discrimination committed in large part by the church of my upbringing and the consent of my loved ones leaves me indescribably sad.
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4 comments:
I can dig what you're saying, and I agree with you, in essence.
But I argue this:
The People of California voted, not only mormons. Your post points no blame to the people of California. Why not?
An acquaintance of mine summed it up nicely on his facebook status yesterday,
"Rupert thinks that it would have been more pragmatic to have the Prop 8 protests BEFORE the vote, rather than after it."
Dear Joe the Guy,
Thank you for commenting.
I'm not blaming the Mormons, exactly, just pointing to the fact that they donated around 14 million to the Yes on 8 campaign. I also point out that I was once Mormon and that my family members--most of them, perhaps implicitly--support the proposition, and that this is sad for me. The California Supreme Court decided that gay people should be able to marry; taking away this right is discrimination.
And while I'm on the subject: Why does marriage have to be defined as between a man and a woman? If the Mormon Church and the Catholic Church and the Church of Joe want to define it this way, they certainly can, but what does this mean for my dear friends and family who are gay and want to get married?
Discrimination.
I admit to feeling angry, but not angry enough to wage a super angry protest march. And I certainly don't see how blaming blacks, Hispanics and Mormons is helpful or the answer.
So I'm asking you Joe the man--What's your solution?
Peace dude.
Jane
My solution would be to hold a vote and to have the people of California decide.
whoops...
"Tyranny of the majority." Discrimination any way you look at it.
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