It's a gay holiday in the blogosphere, yay. Happy Write to Marry Day!
In all seriousness this is an important opportunity for myself and fellow bloggers to post about why we support marriage equality, and what we have done to fight the marriage amendments across this country.
I support marriage equality because I believe in family values, (a word that has been hijacked by the un-religious right). I believe that whether a couple is gay or straight, trans or cisgender, that people should be able to commit to one another and support each other emotionally as well as financially. Marriage equality provides over 1,400 rights and benefits and varies from state to state. Marriage rights allow couples to have access to state and federal rights and benefits. Currently the federal rights are blocked by the "Defense of Marriage Act" but by granting marriage rights to same-sex couples we are helping to create a system of change and to topple the former anti-gay piece of legislation.
I think it is absurd to contemplate that in a country where according to the Bill of Rights:
"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Radicals who claim to be strict constructionists not only not want to follow the law of the land, they also want to change state constitutions to fit their ideology of hate. Regardless about how one feels about marriage, it is wrong to eliminate fundamental rights, like the right to visit a spouse in the hospital, or for a couple to file joint tax returns. It is wrong when one parent can't co-adopt a child and if something happens to one partner (the legal guardian) the kids are tossed into foster care when they already have a loving mother or father.
Proposition 8 in California, proposition 2 in Florida, and proposition 102 in Arizona all seek to ban the right of same-sex couples to marry, and some of these amendments even go so far as to eliminate any legal protections that could be provided through civil unions or domestic partnerships.
If we truly want to follow the law we must grant the "life and liberty" part to all Americans. It is our life and our liberty to choose who we want to marry and our right to support our families. And according to the fourteenth amendment no state shall make any laws which take away our fundamental rights.
Marriage equality transcends the gay rights movement, this is a human rights issue.
Regardless of your orientation or gender identity I urge you to join me in encouraging the blog world to vote NO on the marriage amendments.
It is critical that we stand on the right side of history at this time when we are in the epicenter of another civil rights movement.
Please join me in donating to fight proposition 8, volunteering on the ground, and phonebanking (regardless of your state).
Since I am personally not in California I cannot join in the rally's and demonstrations, which is a shame! I have though spent hours calling on behalf of the No on 8 campaign. I urge you to make phone calls as well. If not for the cause, do it for the laughs.
Here are some of the responses I got:
"yeah, uh, I know gay people, I mean I love Ellen."
"I don't want dem gays doing that stuff near my children."
"Only Bob, and Luke have this number, you are the third person I have chatted with ever."
Interesting people out there! Most fair minded Californians would not eliminate fundamental rights, so we must urge them to vote no on prop 8.
Please tell all your friends and family to VOTE NO on the marriage amendments, email them, post a message on myspace, and get the word out!
NO on Prop 8 - California
NO on Prop 2 - Florida
NO on Prop 102 - Arizona
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Write to Marry Day 10/29/08
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7 comments:
It is so hard for me to comprehend why this is even an issue when the Bill of Rights is so crystal clear. How frustrating!
AHHHHH!!! I just wrote a fairly articulate comment that got lost in the click process.
Basically it is important to us so that we don't have to "prove" we are a family, or partners, or parents to each other's children, or have the right to each other's home and cars, to make medical decisions, etc. It is way past time to overturn DOMA and let marriage freedom ring for ALL!!!
Same here Sinnerviewer. If anything, for me it comes down to the even basic fact that who you marry is your own damn business and no one else's. It drives me nuts that this is even an issue to be contested *shrug*
Just say No to all the Props!
I will add this to my to-blog list. I too get VERY frustrated with the simplicity of the constitutional right issue. I also get frustrated with "what's the big deal to YOU if they're married?" I have a few (very few) friends who are sensitive, caring, reasonable, progressive minded people who have that knee-jerk attitude against gays marrying. No matter the rational or emotional arguement, there's the emphatic fear of change. Argh.
So, thanks for all your hard work, Queers United!
Hey QU!
i was checking out the write to marry and found you, wanted to give you a shout out!
Trying to get equal rights equal is sort of like trying to get a good seat at a movie theater. The movie is called Liberty and it's playing at a theater called America. Those that are sitting in the Gay Marriage seat are sitting squarely in front of those sitting in the Religion seat. Those sitting in the Religion seat would like it if same-sex couples could sit one seat over in the Civil Union seat so that they aren't being 50% blocked. The question being debated by both sides is how different are the Marriage and Civil Union seats. One side says they are different in name only, the other says the vantage point is very different. In my opinion, the best path of success is not by calling out "hate" but by proving exactly which rights are being denied.
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