November 8, 2008 02:04 AM
Harvey Fierstein rocks too.
While we dance in the streets and pat ourselves on the back for being a nation great enough to reach beyond racial divides to elect our first African-American president let us not forget that we remain a nation still proudly practicing prejudice.
I have heard this day described as one of transcendence where Americans came together to prove that we are, above all, a nation of fairness. World witnesses wrote that we rose above ideology, politics and bigotry to achieve a great moment for America. Meanwhile, on this same Election Day, we great Americans passed laws as heinous as any Jim Crow legislation. We great Americans reached out and willfully put our name to language that denies an entire minority group their equal rights.
Of course I am referring to the states of Florida, Arizona and California passing legislation to specifically deny gay people from entering into the contract of marriage. Actually, that's not true. We can still get married, just not to each other. Yes my friends, Florida and California have now made it legal for gay men and lesbians to marry as long as we don't marry our partners. How much sense does that make?
Now, before you rise up on your high horse to holler, "We're not against Civil Unions, just Gay Marriage", let me once again explain that THE SUPREME COURT HAS STATED THAT SEPARATE BUT EQUAL IS NOT EQUAL. And even if it were, civil unions are simply not equal to marriage.
Let me give you a simple example that anyone can follow. John and Jim are registered as domestic partners and so, just like a married couple; Jim is covered by John's employee health care. That's really nice. BUT... since the IRS does not recognize civil unions or domestic partnership Jim has to pay income tax on the value of this coverage. So, unlike a married couple, John and Jim are penalized hundreds of dollars for not being married. That's not fair. That's not in the spirit of the civil union legislation. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of the inequality being offered.
Listen, my fellow Americans, I am only asking that we get sensible about this controversy. Gays are not asking for religious blessings. We are not asking for everyone to come to our weddings. We are not asking the government to force churches and synagogues to perform marriage rituals or even to allow us into their tax-exempt edifices. We are simply and forcefully demanding equal protection under the laws of this nation as tax paying, voting, property owning citizens. I want no more or less protection than granted any heterosexual to control and distribute my holdings.
State sanctioned marriage is a civil contract period. A contract is not a judgment of moral value. It is a legal agreement between two parties that testifies to a meeting of minds between those consenting entities. It is not a religious act or rite and so has nothing to do with Adam and Eve or Steve or even Harvey. I often say that if you want to really want to understand the contract of marriage just ask anyone who has been divorced. The marriage contract is one of property rights. Or maybe you can look in the bible to see what Adam had to say about divorce since Eve was his second wife.
So, while we rightfully celebrate the election of our first African American president, let us take a moment to mourn the passage of three new laws legalizing prejudice. Of course there will be those who claim that voters were only protecting the institution of marriage to whom I would suggest it is just as likely that Obama's supporters were only voting against W. Breaking the lock on my door doesn't make your home any more secure.
Posted by beck at 02:04 AM
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November 5, 2008 07:37 PM
... But what about me?
I'm angry. It's been burning up inside me all day, waiting to burst out. It's this sick feeling deep within my gut, this churning within me that's made me so extra sensitive to the words being thrown about today. It's an anger that's making me ill, physically dragging down and emotionally weighing on my mind. I have to express this anger, to share it with the world, to scream at anyone who would listen. I want to direct it at people, but they are too far out of reach, distant and unable to truly understand what their hatred has done to me. Over here in the East Coast, so distant, yet still so affected by their decisions. Their vote for hate. Their vote for discrimination. Their decision to look at those couples happily getting married and decide to steal away that right from them. To even say "that paper you got? you legally got? it doesn't matter anymore." I want to scream and shout and yell at the world. I want people to understand how wrong this is. But nobody seems to care.
There are celebrations about Obama everywhere and that's great. But I can't help but feel bittersweet about this. I can't help but feel marginalized and ignored. What about me? It's a question that's repeating within me. What about the homosexuals who are just as much a minority in this nation. We can get killed for being gay. We can get beaten for being gay. We are denied rights because we are born gay. Today we celebrate the progression of one segment of our population, but everyone seems willing to ignore that yesterday wasn't a huge, stellar success. Liberals are in denial that one of their voting blocks, perhaps people with real money and time well spent in this election, have just been told "You are second class."
What about me? Where are my rights? Why am I being ignored on this historic day? There's nothing being mentioned, a little article saying how many of the marriages that were granted may now be nullified. Where's the outrage? I feel sick, I feel so fucking sick it tears at me. Who are you people who can celebrate but not at least demand, DEMAND some focus on this terrible group of laws that were passed.
A change? Where is the change I need? Where is the person who's going to come out and say Proposition 8 is an amendment of hatred. Everyone wants to celebrate today and that's fine. But I'm here sitting... What about me? And realizing . . . there's just a longer road of hate laying in front of me. And evidently it's not going to get any better.
Posted by beck at 07:37 PM
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