Proposition 8

Some time has passed now since the historic presidential election of Barack Obama. I am a supporter of Obama and voted for him because of his stance on many of the pressing issues this country faces. However, I do understand the importance of him being the first black man to become a US President. Politics aside, I think it should be recognized as a milestone, even if you did vote for the other guy.

Unfortunately while we took this great step forward, we also took a few back. There were several issues on ballots across the country that pertained to the equality of gay people. Yes, in the "Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave" we spent millions of dollars and hours of time focusing on whether or not two people that love each other can take part in the same union that people with opposite genitalia do. Sounds kinda silly when you put it that way....

The biggest loss gay people saw in the election, besides the one in Arkansas that bans gay and single people from adopting children, was Prop 8 in California (which I will be focusing on) and proposition 2 in Florida. The proposition amended the constitution of California to ban same sex marriage. The issue was previously granted by the California Supreme Court, saying that it was "unconstitutional to deny same sex couples those rights". That is why the opposing side had to attempt to amend the constitution. Now it is "constitutional" to ban same sex marriage.

Organizing my thoughts on this issue is a bit challenging because I have so many. Clearly there is plenty being said about the Mormon Church that encouraged its members across the country to donate to the "yes" side of the proposition. Twenty two million dollars of encouragement. But let’s not give Mormons ALL the credit. You had plenty of other religions with their hands in the cookie jar. Not to mention the hordes of minorities, who continue to suffer from discrimination, casting their vote to ban marriage. I mean, even Dr. Laura Schlesinger, a Jew, is against the idea of gay marriage. I sure wish I could invent a time machine. I wonder where and when I would send her? Perhaps to a time where she could see just how far discrimination can go. Nazi Germany did not start on a large scale. It was a seed that continued to get watered. Prop 8 is a seed.

That last comment might get me in trouble but it leads me right into the sub discussion of this issue which is that of comparing struggle. A huge majority of the Californian black community played a role in passing Prop 8. Many black people do not see the parallels between the civil rights movement and the gay rights movement. It seems they feel that it takes away from their hard times. Well, I guess it is more that, what gay people go through is nothing compared to what black people went through and still go through to this day. I totally get that but still think they need to take the time to examine the issue purely from the perspective of discrimination. A perspective they should fully understand.

I think black people should see the comparison to the civil rights movement not as an insult or threat to their struggles but rather a compliment. HELLO! Black people have paved the road on the idea of anti discrimination. And another "HELLO!", Gay people aren’t just white! We come in all colors, except of course, that shade called Iranian. Apparently they don't make that color.

And you also have to think of the issues in terms of percentages. Black people make up a larger percentage of people in this country than gay people do. If there were as many gay people in this country as there were black people I think you would see a higher percentage of anti-gay crimes being committed than you do now.


But let’s forget all that and discuss why so many black people didn't have our back on this issue. Plain and simple, you have religion, misinformation and CHOICE. I am a huge believer that the main reason gay people struggle on these issues is because it is seen to most as a choice or "lifestyle". Can I tell you how much I HATE it when people refer to my being gay as a lifestyle? Doing triathlon is a lifestyle. Being gay is like being left handed. But again, even if it WERE a choice I’d say "SO WHAT!"

Arguing against racism is a lot easier than arguing for gay rights because there is no way to deny the color of one’s skin. Homosexuality is not as “black and white”. Black people don’t have to come out with their “blackness”. It’s hard to continue to argue for discrimination on something that "just is". However, I bet if we put a proposition up in the South to take away some of black people’s rights it just might pass. But hey, it would have been voted on by the people. I guess that makes it okay!

Part of this issue seems to also be that everyone is so nice. I have gotten quite a few "nice" e-mails from my Mormon friends that I had in high school not understanding why I am so enraged at the Mormon Church's role in this. They say things like "we don't hate gays. We just think marriage should be kept between men and women. Would it be okay if we gave you the same rights but didn't call it marriage?" I feel some cursing coming. FUCK OFF!!

It should be noted that Mormons prohibited blacks from holding the priesthood in the LDS Church until 1978. Holding the priesthood was a right given to every other adult male. Without the priesthood, blacks were forbidden from entering Mormon temples like the big one on Santa Monica Blvd that you see in all the protests. They also could not participate in eternal marriage ceremonies there which effectively consigned them to a lesser version of heaven. Mormons place their whole concept of heaven on forming eternal families through marriages or “sealings” in their temples.

Mormons are finally coming around to the fact that people are born “homosexual”. They don’t really like the word gay. The catch for them, which is also the catch in a lot of other religions, is that it is a sin and it should not be acted on. So basically they acknowledge you are born that way but you are never supposed to act on those urges and desires for love, sex and compassion that heterosexual people have. Do Mormons really believe that a god would ever create so many of his children to be gay and consign them to a life of loneliness? And per religion, aren’t we all created in God’s image? Doesn’t that mean that there is a part of God that is gay too?


I am really getting sick of being nice about this. Everyone is hiding behind the "nice" side of this. It is time to get mad. Is it worth getting mad over marriage rights? You bet it is because this goes deeper than marriage rights. Look up the suicide rates of gay youth. Look at how gay teens have been treated. Look at people like Matthew Shepard. When the COUNTRY allows for some of its members to be seen as second class citizens which this marriage crap does, then you justify the public treating them that way.

The part that kills me on this is that it was the Churches that made this happen. I really think the Mormon Church should become an example and loose their tax rights. They had their hands too deep in this political arena. If Mormons were going to lose their rights for practicing religion I would certainly vote for them to be able to keep them. They should be able to practice their religion even if I feel it is a stupid religion. I think most religions are lame but I don't want to take that right away from people. Believe whatever you want just don't impose your views on everyone else, let alone the government. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!

I have heard the argument that some are worried that if gay marriage passed and their priest or whatever didn't want to perform the marriage, he or she could be arrested for discrimination. Give me a fucking break! Churches are absolutely protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and have always had restrictions on who they choose to marry. It's their choice to perform marriages OR NOT and always will be. First off, if your church doesn't believe in gay marriage and you are gay YOU NEED TO FIND A NEW RELIGION!! Secondly, you don't see Catholic priests being arrested for discriminating against people that have been divorced.

Let’s talk about how sacred marriage is. Really? Is it sacred? Is there something sacred about two drunk people in Vegas that get married in a drive through? Look at the freaking divorce rate! Tell me what is so damn sacred these days about it? If you want to save marriage you need to make DIVORCE illegal. Then maybe people would think a bit more before they tie that knot which usually ends up around their neck. If you ask me we need to take marriage out of government all together. Make everyone able to get civil unions and if you wanted to get "married" in your church then so be it. Just don't invite me.

Another problem right now is that people think civil unions are the same as marriage. They aren't. If I have a civil union with your brother and he dies, you, as the sibling, have more rights over him and the estate than I do. I’m talking about inheritance rights -- automatically rather than having it have to go through probate, not having to pay tax upon inheriting the property, and not having to adjust the tax basis of the property if you decide to sell it. The biggest "right" is actually attached to Federal law -- it's rights of survivorship to Social Security and other retirement plan (pension) benefits.

Some people have said "why don't gay people just set things up contractually then?" Well that costs money and we shouldn't have to do it the longer and harder way. EQUALITY people. It ain't that complex. Besides, many of the rights attached to marriage cannot be set up via contract. Same sex partners in a civil union or even opposite sex domestic partners aren't entitled to federal Social Security benefits. That only comes with the word "marriage." Not to mention that if I wanted to add a domestic partner to my health insurance, I would have to pay tax on it. My employer is kind enough to offer it, but because the IRS doesn't recognize same sex couples as "married" even in MA and CT where it is legal, I would still have to pay tax on the cost of that insurance because of the word "marriage." Again, please tell me how my getting married affects you?

I have done quite a bit of world travel in the last 3 years. It sure would be nice to know that if I met someone in another country and it went well that he could come back and live in the US with me. Straight people can do this. I have plenty of friends that are married to no US citizens. In fact, two of my friends that were both non US citizens actually got married in the US. Does that make any sense?


One more issue and then I am done. About the whole "I don't care what people do in the bedroom”: Is your straightness restricted to the bedroom? NO! Is being gay only about having sex? NO! People that say “I don’t care what you do in the bedroom” make me want to drop kick them to the moon! If you are in a straight relationship I want you to take a few days and see how many times a day you throw your sexuality in my face.

“Man! All that straightness just makes me SICK! Do they have to hold hands and wear those rings? It just makes me so uncomfortable when they talk about it. I can't even get dressed in a locker room with out hearing about all those straight guys’ talk about the pussy they got on Saturday night.. And what about those women that go on and on about planning their weddings or talking about how their boyfriends don’t pay any attention to them. ICK!

Clearly I don't feel this way and I hope what I just said sounds ridiculous. "Yeah but if we let gay people have equal rights I don't want my kids seeing that and turning into a Mo." Look people, I have been hanging with straight people all my life, and as much as they try to convert me, nothing has happened thus far. I mean, I do tend to smell my clothes to see if they are clean but as far as having a taste for pink taco.....hasn't happened.

I think the best way to really understand how I feel is by watching this video clip below. Keith Olbermann is not my favorite but he really hits the nail on the head here. I would love to hear some arguments against what he says. And please, get out those bibles so I too can find fun and utterly retarded reasons for stoning you!

Actually, I think I am going to go make up some signs right now and go harass all the fat people for their gluttonous behavior. GOD HATES FAT PEOPLE!!!!! MAYBE IN HELL YOU CAN LOOSE SOME WEIGHT CUZ IT WILL BE LIKE A SAUNA!!!! JESUS DID IRONMAN!!!! THINK OF ALL THE STARVING KIDS IN THE WORLD NEXT TIME YOU GO TO WENDYS!!! FAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BREED!!!! MOOOW!!!! ....Ohh this is fun! Now I see what all those crazy FAG HATERS get out of this. LOL...I'm just kidding of course....

This is the link to the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnHyy8gkNEE

Here is clip with screenwritter and executive producer, David Lance Black. He produced the upcoming movie "Milk" with Sean Penn about Harvey Milk. He was also a writer for the HBO show Big Love. Black is gay and grew up as a Mormon.

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13

As well, "Talk of the Nation" on NPR had some intersting points about Prop 8. Less than 20 min.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97266934

In The Works....

Hey All,

Don't you worry! My blog on PROP 8 is in the works.....

bdc
Second Class Citizen of The United States