My Two Cents on Prop 8

I have tried really hard not to weigh in on the whole Prop 8 issue. I wanted to see the progress in the small gap that resulted in our loss and take heart. I tried not to think about it too much. I tried to distract myself with being happy about the outcome of the Presidential race, but... I feel it. And I know that all of us in the LGBTQ community are feeling it.

I see so much nastiness out there from people who are supposed to represent Jesus and I have heard and read too many stories of hurt feelings to keep quiet.

I've got to weigh in.

So, here's my two cents:

Do we really want religious beliefs informing our laws?

One of the catch phrases that Republicans used to justify the war in Iraq was "they hate our freedom." Remember that? Well, if we are supposed to be opposed to terrorists because they "hate our freedom," then why are we voting to take away the freedoms of our own citizens?

If you say that it's because they (gay and lesbian citizens) should have never had the right to marry in the first place, then I'd ask you - Why not? Why should a heterosexual couple be allowed to marry any more than a same-sex couple? If your answer takes you right back to the old "because marriage is between a man and a woman" argument then my response to that is - Why?

Invariably bigots will either quote the bible or mention something about the natural laws of procreation. Well, then why don't we just do away with secular law all together and follow biblical law? Which one do you want to go with? The King James bible? The Book of Mormon? (Anyone else think it's effing religulous that Mormons, of all people, want to get in on an argument about marriage?) The Koran? The Torah? Which one can we all agree to abide by?

And if you really believe that the ability to procreate somehow sanctifies a family unit then I suppose you'll be all for it when the Earth is populated to the point that we are all walking on top of each other like cockroaches and fighting to the death for a last morsel of food. Fucking is a lot more spiritual when you are in love, but anybody who thinks that it doesn't, or shouldn't, or couldn't happen outside of holy matrimony is obviously either a sanctimonious liar or has shit for brains.

And if you think that it's in any way appropriate for civil rights to be put to the popular vote then I sincerely hope that you are not black, not a woman, or do not have so much as a drop of immigrant blood in your body, because if you are in any way a part of - or love someone who is a part of - any of the aforementioned groups then you can thank supreme court justices for your ability to cast a vote in favor or against someone else's civil rights right now.

And if you think judges are "legislating from the bench" then you really are ignorant. Mob rule will never protect the rights of a minority. May your God help you if you ever find yourself in a minority at the mercy of a majority vote.

And don't tell me that next it'll be "a man and a cat" or "a woman and two birds" or some moronic crap like that. You know better than that shit and if you don't then you really should just keep your mouth shut anyway.

I'm not telling you not to follow your religious convictions, I'm just telling you to practice them in the privacy of your home and your church and keep them off my constitution. If you don't believe in same-sex marriage, then don't marry anyone of the same-sex. But leave me the hell alone and I will leave you alone.

It really is that simple.

P. S. Kelly, has a great solution! If this is all about "protecting the sanctity of marriage" then let's fight to amend the constitution to prohibit divorce. Wonder how that'll go over. Talk about hypocrisy!