As everyone celebrates the one-year anniversary of the historic
election of President Obama a lot of us, especially here in California are
sadly reminded of another anniversary this week. The anniversary of the passing
of Proposition 8, which was made even more painful after a similar vote passed
in Maine on Tuesday. Writing this, I still can’t wrap my mind around the one
burning question that keeps haunting my thoughts. Why?
Why are people voting on the right for other people to
marry? Why do people care? And why are people so stupid? Yes, I said stupid.
Sue me.
One of my favorite books in high school was The Crucible.
I’ve always loved the subject of the Salem Witch Trials. The part of the
story that was always so fascinating to me was the people in the
community who were so easily taken advantage of. People who let their fear and
ignorance become a tool that was used to make fools out of all of them.
This is perfect analogy to me of the poor fools who continue
to vote against gay marriage in California and Maine and every church that preaches against it. These people continue to have their own fear, their
religion, and their ignorance used against them to take a stance against gay
marriage.
I joke about these people and their ignorance with friends,
but in truth, it’s not funny. In fact it breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart because for me when I think of gay
couples and their families, I don’t see “gay couples.” I see my friends. I see
family members. I see other PTA moms who fight with their kids to do homework.
I see soccer games, I see vacations, and I see kids growing up in loving homes,
just like my kids. No different.
So to you, the people who keep fighting the inevitable
legalization of gay marriage, I ask you to face the sweet young faces of the
kids who are being raised in these loving homes by loving gay & lesbian
couples and tell them why their family is different. Why their family
breakfasts, their trips to the supermarket, and their Saturday T-Ball games
with the family are any different than yours.
Tell them, explain it to them. And then tell me, because I’m
totally clueless.
This is proudly Meghan
Harvey’s inaugural post at MOMocrats. When she’s not working hard to find a
cure for ignorance she can also be found blogging on her personal blog, Meg’s
Idle Chatter.
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Great post, Meghan. And welcome!
Posted by: Sarah Granger | November 05, 2009 at 12:43 PM
It breaks my heart, it really does. Since when did civil rights depend on a majority vote?
Posted by: Beatrice | November 05, 2009 at 12:48 PM
I'm convinced that THIS is the issue my grandkids will ask me to tell them about, again and again, just like my grandmother told us about segregation. It sounds so unthinkable that people allow blatant prejudice to exist -- and that so many Americans vote to legalize it. I can hear my grandkids' questions already: "why did people care who other people wanted to marry?" "did priests and rabbis really turn away couples wanting to marry?" and most haunting of all "why didn't you do something about it, grandma?"
Posted by: Kat Gordon | November 05, 2009 at 02:23 PM
I just don't agree with taking away right like this. I just cannot comprehend people who DO think it's the thing to do. I hope Kat is right. (And welcome Meghan!!!! Great start!)
Posted by: Julie Pippert | November 06, 2009 at 05:08 PM
mourning the election of Obama!
Posted by: nancy | November 09, 2009 at 05:43 AM