A Word on Gay Marriage

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. 

Comments

[Sarah Granger]

Great post, Meghan. And welcome!

[Beatrice]

It breaks my heart, it really does. Since when did civil rights depend on a majority vote?

[Kat Gordon]

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?"

[Julie Pippert]

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!)

[nancy]

mourning the election of Obama!