Thursday, November 6, 2008

On the Other Hand...

So now, despite my glee at the election results, and the rush I still get when I think of Obama's acceptance speech, I feel like I have to say something about the aspects of this election that went badly.

Because frankly, my heart is broken.

Broken for gays and lesbians in California who have once again had their right to marry taken away.

Broken for gays and lesbians in Florida and Arizona, who have had the right to have their relationships recognized excluded from their own constitution.

Broken for gays and lesbians in Arkansas, who have been excluded from the state's newest legislation regarding the adoption of children.

But more generally, I am saddened that some segment of the population has taken it upon themselves to define what it will mean to be in a committed and loving relationship. That some segment of the population feels that it is their RIGHT or RESPONSIBILITY to tell other people that their relationships are somehow less valuable. And to insinuate, in the absolutely most ridiculous of terms, that their own relationships are somehow threatened by the love that two people feel for one another.

And you know what I hate the most about this? I hate the way it makes it sound as though straight people are perfect. As though straight people never do anything to damage the sanctity of marriage. As though straight people would always make perfect parents for a child in need of a home.

Because we all know that that is complete crap.

We all struggle. Most of us get more relationships wrong than we get right. We all have good parenting moments and bad parenting moments. And none of that has anything to do with our sexual orientation.

So to the people that voted to keep gays and lesbians from enjoying the same rights afforded to you I say, please get over yourselves. If you devoted even half of the energy that you have put towards this insanity towards loving your neighbour, the world would be a much, MUCH, better place.

4 comments:

Crimson Rambler said...

preach it, sister.
what fries MY synapses about this is the conclusion (if you carry the reasoning through to its logical conclusion) that matters of morality, the morality of an action, are ultimately to be determined not by intention behind the act, nor by effect of the act, but by certain physiological configurations which at times can only be read by a urologist. It ain't your intention, your understanding, your will, that matters, it's your plumbing. Yeah. right.
I'm glad you're home safe.

Patrick C said...

I was quite disappointed in the California result (I think Florida and Arizona were probably foregone conclusions). On the other hand, however, Michigan approved both medical marijuana AND stem cell research!

I'm Still Me said...

What baffles me is that these people believe that whether or not gay people are allowed to marry affects their lives. I can not envision that any of them have gay friends so how would it have anything to do with their daily life. The way I see it, it doesn't. In any way. So why do they feel it is necessary to have their beliefs directly affect someone else's life?

Julie said...

Well said.