You know I have written quite a bit about gay rights. Actually, it still irritates the living hell out of me that I even have to talk about “gay rights”. As if it is a different set of rights than “normal” rights… Anyway, you might remember The Idiot’s Guide to Bigotry and The Gay Agenda. Or that time I wanted to say Just One More Thing… Actually, gay issues have been central to many posts over here. Present every time I talk about justice and equality.
Why? Why would a “straight” guy like me even bother? I am happily married to a woman. This isn’t my issue, right? Actually it is. It is core to who I am. I hate it when anyone is being oppressed or their rights limited and denied. I am “white” (wow, big surprize - shades of white in any case), but I hate racism. I am a man (really!), but I hate how women are being put down by society in general. My rights as a human being is in danger and threatened each and every time a fellow human being does not have their rights respected. I am discriminated against when they are discriminated against. Argh! I get pissed off when I have to write about this. This is so stupid. WTF? Wake up people! We are talking basic human rights here! You are threatening MY rights when you deny someone else their rights. Ubuntu, remember? I am because we are…
Anyway… I can feel another blog about this coming up damn soon. (The anger is starting to flow back.) But not today. Today I want to remind you about the battles in California and Florida this election. The battle for equal rights. I have no clue how a country that preaches liberty, freedom and equal rights can even have this kind of “voting”. Some things are not open to public opinion. Should you have a vote on whether woman should have the right to work? Or whether African Americans should be able to study? Or whether Latinos should be able to vote? Maybe your right to own property? Or to have kids? Or whether theft should be allowed? Should people be able to murder when they feel like it? No. And neither should the right of two people to marry be open to debate. Certain things are just stupid to debate. And this is one of them.
Remember, you don’t have to like it to accept it. I don’t like blatant racism being spewed out at meetings or in the public in general. But I know my rights are protected because their rights are protected. Hey, I don’t even have to like you but I can accept the fact that you have the same rights as me. Don’t like it… Just live with it…
Whether Americans truly believe in equality, freedom and liberty will be put to the test in California and Florida this election. Proposition 8 and Amendment 2 are both about what America stands for. Truly stands for. Not the issues. But whether America is true to its word… Freedom, equality and liberty for all. These two pieces of bigotry must be defeated. We have no choice. If these two pieces of crap wins it is not only a step backwards for America but will send a message to the world that discrimination is still okay. Kill Christians in India? No problem if that is who you hate. Blow up bombs in Israel? No problem if that is the group you want to target. Shoot fellow Muslims in Iraq? Hey, go ahead if that is how you feel. Jail rights activists in China? Make my day. Remember, discrimination is only one step away from persecution…
But we don’t always have to do it in anger. Sometimes we can poke a bit of fun at how stupid this is. And someone did! And they were so bloody good at it that the Boston Comedy Festival gave them the audience award. Yeah. Good old Boston. Always ahead of the pack – I had to rub that in a bit.
9in10dotorg made brilliantly funny and creative short comedies to show the stupidity of it all. They are helping to fight this bigotry. And to stop the California and Florida restrictions on rights be executed. But they did it in a very, very funny way. Go and have a look and share with other.
This one is in favor of gay marriages, but not for the reason you think. Damn funny!
And this one is against it. But look at the backdrop. Haha!
Like I said. We can make our anger be funny as well. You want some more gay-themed shorts? Go and have a look at their site. Some funny and some not. But everything to the point. Just click the pic…
The vote for justice is coming. There shouldn’t be a vote. But there is. Go out and show the world what America really stand for. Go and fight for the rights, equality, liberty and freedom for every American. Your choice. You either go back in time or you can go and make history. Your choice. Don’t do it for “them”. Do it for yourself. And your rights.
I can’t vote. But I wish I could. To protect my rights. And to protect those rights I would vote to give everyone else the same rights as me. To live with the one you love. In marriage.
Stand by your fellow Americans… …in sickness and in health… …’til death do us apart…
October 27, 2008 at 10:28 am
Definitely agree. Gay rights are human rights, period.
October 27, 2008 at 11:50 am
Couldn’t have said it better! America is a little backward compared to Europe and Canada. If one of my kids turns out to be gay, I’d want him or her to have equal rights.
October 27, 2008 at 3:51 pm
*stands on ladder and claps through loudspeaker system* you speak as if you speak from my soul, thank you for this!
October 27, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I’m so tired of having to deal with crap like this.
America home of free, for some people.
A few years ago it was assisted suicide.
What I’m tired of is the argument of: “well what about marrying a donkey or my car or my sister?”
IDGAF!!
As long as the two parties are of legal age and consenting, knock yourself out.
I don’t do drugs. I don’t understand the whole War on Drugs.
Wanna F yourself up? Go right ahead.
I mean you can get a cornocopia of legally prescribed drugs and do the same thing. Get hooked on Xanax just as bad or worse than Heroin.
October 27, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I so appreciate you writing about this some more. I want my daughter to be able to marry her (gay) partner. They are both better people together, just as occurs in a good marriage, so why can’t they marry each other???
October 27, 2008 at 6:40 pm
You know its funny, my mother and I had this conversation not long ago. She said “Why do they have to call it marriage? Why can’t they call it a Civil Union or something like that?” I replied: “Because that makes them less than. It makes them different. Tell me what is different about being married and gay to being married and straight? Do you suddenly not have the same pressures, stresses, and issues of marriage? Do you get to skip out on the hard parts? Hell no! They have just as much right to be happy/miserable as the rest of us, and I will go to my grave fighting for that for them and for me. What would you have us do next, not allow disabled people like me to marry? I can’t do all of the things a normal woman can. I can’t have children. Does that disqualify me?”….
To that she was silent… bloody good too!
October 28, 2008 at 3:03 am
Bravo!
You always echo so well what I’m sure many, many people across the globe feel about basic Human Rights – I only hope those Americans still loathe to accept such rights will soon see the light…
Thank God, there are some who can appreciate the ridiculousness of (what is often) “closet” homophobia and laugh about it – or at least make us that laugh…
Thanks for sharing – I’ve mised previous posts but will be back asap to catch up!
I LOVE your “Ubuntu: I am because you are”; this is so, so true..:)
October 28, 2008 at 6:29 am
I am because you are….
I think people are afraid to confront what lies within them, that’s why the knee jerk reaction to people who are “different”. I want my gay friends to have the same rights as anyone else. Mostly, I want to say to people who talk about choices etc, why would anyone choose to be vilified, harassed, picked on, humiliated or not accepted? Being gay isn’t like picking a hair colour, or even a political stance, it’s who you are.
October 29, 2008 at 6:30 am
@Johanna – You are right. It shouldn’t even be debated!
@Melvin – The land of the (partly) free. That’s what I want as well. Just for my kids to be happy and in love.
@SanityFound – Thanks! I just get so worked up about this. It’s stupid.
@scienkoptic – Exactly. I am sick and tired of having to talk about it. It is a waste of my braai time.
@Jan – That is all that I want. I want my kids to be happy. I don’t care who they love and marry.
@Amber – Good on you! Nothing like hitting the nail on the head! Show them how close it can hit home.
@India J – Thank you. That is what annoys me endlessly. That them limiting others will limit me.
@Coffeewallah – Exactly! We don’t pick who we are!
November 2, 2008 at 9:57 pm
AA: I hear you about being sick of writing on it; I am sick of dealing with it and thinking about it…… I would love to be planning an all out wedding right now, and have it be no big deal. called marriage, not something else……. equal marriage is what we want, not special marriage. ALthough marrying my honey would make it pretty damned special!!!