Tuesday, November 4, 2008 will forever be remembered as the day Americans elected their first black president. The same momentous day showed that more Californians care about the rights of farm animals than about gay people.
Proposition 2 won 63% to 37%, a wide margin by any standard. Proposition 2 mandated that "covered animals" (i.e., those that the proposition applies to) are protected from being confined in such a way that would prevent them from "lying down, standing up, and fully extending his or her limbs; and turning around freely." A "covered animal" is a pregnant pig, a calf raised for veal, or an egg-laying hen kept on a farm.
Sadly, Proposition 8 also won, but by a much smaller margin: 52% to 48%. Proposition 8 rewrote the California state constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. Why on earth a simple majority is required to rewrite the state constitution is beyond me. But what angers and saddens me is that on November 3, my friends, neighbors and co-workers all enjoyed the same rights, regardless of whether they were designed to be partners with someone of their own sex or the opposite sex. On November 4, those same people were split into two groups based on an entirely arbitrary distinction.
I have known, attended school with, and worked with and for gay people for as long as I was old enough to understand that some people were heterosexual and some were homosexual. I have always understood that although there was a difference between us, it never made a difference to me. Now, I cannot fathom why it makes a difference to anyone else.
All the arguments for this ban boil down to fear, hatred and self-righteousness. And, what, exactly, may I ask, is the point of the ban anyway? To try to "discourage" homosexual behavior? Not going to happen. To try to prevent homosexuals from having and raising children? Not going to happen. To "protect" marriage? That is the biggest bunch of bull I've heard in a long time. Gay couples are permitted to marry in other states, and, until Wednesday, been getting married here in California and it has had zero effect on the institution of marriage.
I feel so confused by this whole thing. And angry and sad and frustrated and shocked. Come on, California, let's get this thing overturned/repealed/struck down/whatever we have to do to stop senseless discrimination.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
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7 comments:
It isn't "senseless discrimination." God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steven. Homosexuals should seek therapy for their psychological dysfunction.
Straight shooter is a moron. A closed minded, hateful moron. Read the Declaratin of Independence, you boob:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
I would like to point out that Amendment I to the Constitution of the United States of America states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..." Therefore, making a legal argument based on the Book of Genesis is nonsensical to me.
In addition, I would like to point out that the Bible also includes 2 Kings 2, which reads:
2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
Indeed, the Bible also tells us:
As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?" (1 Cor. 14:33b-36)
In addition, the American Psychological Association's guidelines regarding gay, lesbian and bisexual clients explicitly state, as Guideline 1: Psychologists understand that homosexuality and bisexuality are not indicative of mental illness.
In fact, "all major American mental health associations have affirmed that homosexuality is not a mental illness." (American Psychological Association's Guidelines)
Homosexuality was in fact considered a disorder by the APA until 1973, when it caved to political pressure.
I find it funny that a three sentence comment was enough to make me a "closed minded, hateful moron" to an anonymous poster who has a difference of opinion.
How ironic that those who profess tolerance are so quick to resort to ad hominem attacks when someone disagrees with them.
It took me a while to decide whether I wanted to even respond to you, straight shooter. Clearly, you are not "on the margins" on this issue; it appears to be a religious issue for you, and not one on which you are going to change your mind.
So, I could spend a lot of time typing about how there is no published scientific evidence supporting that "conversion" therapy even works, that even if there were, I would never support actually expecting gay and lesbian people to spend hours and thousands of dollars trying to "stop" being gay, etc. I could write about how if therapy can make you heterosexual, then therapy can make you homosexual, and how no matter how hard I try, I ain't gonna wake up some day and be homosexual (since I'm heterosexual). I could go on. But I'm not going to, because some people aren't going to change their minds on this issue, and that's their right.
As a side note, I generally do not moderate the comments on this blog, and will only delete comments that are abusive, unrelated to the post, or clearly spam. (I did accidentally delete a comment about the post on Measure JJ. Alas, we all make mistakes.) But just as I recognize your right to believe homosexuals are suffering from "psychological dysfunction", I recognize anonymous' right to call you a moron. And, I have found, through of all things, therapy (!) that those things we most dislike about others are those that we most dislike about ourselves, so you and anonymous might have more in common than either of you would like to think.
"I find it funny that a three sentence comment was enough to make me a "closed minded, hateful moron" to an anonymous poster who has a difference of opinion."
Anonymous happens to be Super Girl's older brother who defends your right, with his life if neccessary, to believe
"Homosexuals should seek therapy for their psychological dysfunction.".
Your three sentence comment reads like that of a third grader who just walked out of Sunday School, clutching the bible they don't fully understand.
The "Adam and Steven" part was mostly for comedic value. But the point is, there are two genders for a reason.
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