Just Say No

shanbrentris — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:48:22 -0500

THIS IS THE TIME FOR LOVE TO STEP UP AND SHOW HATE HOW TO DANCE.

Someone much stronger and wiser than me said that to me the other
day, and it has shuffled about in my head ever since. I don't want to
touch hate, I don't want it anywhere near me or my family, and yet it
is all around, it's right over there in the corner. I have two
choices: I can ignore it, or I can take its hand and lead it to the
floor. I can be silent, or I can not be.

Proposition 8 eliminates the constitutional right of same sex couples to marry in
California. I don't live in California, and I'm not gay, and that is
no excuse for me at all to think this doesn't affect me. It affects
all of us. It is a huge step BACKWARDS in the mitigated progress our
country has made in tackling discrimination. Hell, we can't even try
to elect a man with dark skin and an untimely middle name to the office
of President without 1/3 of the nation calling him a terrorist. We
have a long way to go, but the one thing I thought we'd already covered was this:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject
to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of
the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the
United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty,
or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within
its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

I don't much like it that guns are legal, and I'm pretty sure that a
gun could do a whole lot more damage to my child than two dudes getting
hitched could, but you have the constitutional right to carry
one, and I am never, ever going to try to take that away from you, no
matter how misinterpreted, outdated and downright dangerous I find that
right to be. My opinion does not dictate yours.

My opinion about Proposition 8 should not and will not dictate
yours, either. I just can't understand why someone should be put into
the position where they felt that they had to fight for the right to
keep their family together? Why would we put someone in that
position? Are we that cruel a nation?

THIS IS THE TIME FOR LOVE TO STEP UP AND SHOW HATE HOW TO DANCE.

My cousin and her amazing, loving wife have a brand new baby girl.
It took them forever to get pregnant, and the pregnancy was really
hard, but they got their baby, my little niece Ella. Their family is
finally complete after almost a decade of trying. They are beyond
happy and fulfilled. They are wonderful mothers. BOTH OF THEM.

My best couple-friends just finalized their adoption of a little
baby boy, a choice they made after the IV fertilization failed and the
frozen eggs were all used up. The second they laid eyes on that boy,
they fell to their knees and cried. I sat with them two months ago,
and watched them chase their baby around the house, watched them sing
him to sleep, and you have never in your life seen two more awe-struck,
charmed parents in your whole life. They were born to be fathers to
that child, BOTH OF THEM.

Polly, oh Polly. I'm not even going to try to put it into words. Here:

That is a family; a real, living, breathing family and they need
each other just as much as you need your husband or your wife or your
mother or your father. Those two love those children, their beautiful
children, with every single tiny inch of their being. And those
children, well, look at them. That is joy. That is love. I
came from a couple married in the church and I never once had that look
on my face my entire childhood.

THIS IS THE TIME FOR LOVE TO STEP UP AND SHOW HATE HOW TO DANCE.

Your family is not in danger, but theirs are. Someone wants
to tell them that what they have is wrong and a lie and unnatural. And
what they have is dinners and coloring books and diaper changes and
Backyardigans reruns. They only difference is that they had to fight a
lot harder for it than you or I did, and that a whole lot of people
hate them for it.

THIS IS THE TIME FOR LOVE TO STEP UP AND SHOW HATE HOW TO DANCE.

It is time for us to stand up, as a nation, as human beings, and say
that family is important, no matter what twist your family takes.
Whether you are gay, or lesbian, or straight, or a parent, or single or
childless or adoptive or fostering or a single parent, you have the
inalienable right to pursue your happiness. I think the world
could use a little more happy, solid, loving couples. I think that we
could all learn a lesson in what devotion is, against all odds.

If Elizabeth Taylor can do it 7 times, why can't they?

THIS IS THE TIME FOR LOVE TO STEP UP AND SHOW HATE HOW TO DANCE.

Let's show them how we dance. Let's tell California that we as a nation believe in the right of every
citizen to have a family, to have the basic, legal rights afforded any
straight American over the age of 18 with an ink pen, a buzz and a
witness dressed like Elvis. Please, talk to your friends, write on
your blogs, donate to the cause if you can, send a letter to Arnold and
say no. No, we will not step backwards into history. No, we will not
discriminate against people based on ANYTHING. No, this is not a
Theocracy, and one religious groups beliefs do not constitutional
amendments make. This is America, and last time I checked, we offered
liberty and justice for all.

Updates: Florida and Arizona are trying to pass similar amendments. Read these two posts for more on the Arizona amendment.

Cross-posted at Mr Lady's personal blog, Whiskey In My Sippy Cup.

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Just Say No