That terrible California vote (not the chicken one)

When I saw the news of Californians passing Prop. 8, I debated whether I wanted to blog about it or not. Here's my self-disclosure for openers: I am straight (as far as I know), married, and I have no real pick on the fight. But the fact that this is discrimination pure and simple finally made me decide to speak, or at least throw in my two cents. This bothers me: that people find it so easy to vote to take away something they themselves take for granted. It also bothers me because a lot of it had to do with a bunch of religious zealots imposing their views on everyone else (for example, the Catholics and the Mormons).

To those zealots I simply say, you believe being gay is a sin? Don't be gay then (or lived a repressed life and hope no one catches you in some airport restroom). I have news for you: a lot of people in the nation and world do not share your beliefs. So we would appreciate it if you minded your own business and stayed out of our lives.

So, I sit down and think, and I ask:

• Will gay marriages destroy my marriage? No.
• Will I turn gay, or my family, just because gay people decide to express their desire to live in a committed relationship and get married? No.
  

Those questions sound ridiculous, right? Yet there are some out there who not only embrace those ridiculous notions, but seek to impose them on others, and that is just not right.

So, since I often try to use a little humor when coping with the stupidity of others, here is a simple proposal. A lot of those zealots believe in "traditional marriage" for procreation purposes only. So, lets round up all the married people out there who do not have a bushel of kids and revoke their marriage licenses immediately. Hey, either start breeding and fulfilling your "obligation," or lose your license. Now, you say you are Catholic? But you also say (quietly) that you use contraceptives (a big no-no for Catholics, and no, natural family planning does not really work reliably, nor is it necessarily the most practical method for couples)? Well, too bad. Hand over that marriage license unless you start popping out some kids. Sounds ridiculous, huh? But when you look at it, you see the hypocrisy of those zealots exposed, hypocrisy that shows they don't even follow all their own morals, but they are more than happy imposing them on others who could not care less. And let's not even look at divorce stats. I think I recall Jesus had something to say about divorce being adultery (Matthew 5:31-32 if I recall correctly, for example). Matthew does allow for "unfaithfulness," but this is not the case for Luke (see 16:18) or Mark (10:11-12). I knew all those years in Catholic school would pay off. The point? Keep your beliefs to yourself. You think it's a sin? Don't do it! Your rules. Your religion. You go to hell. We are living and moving on.

But seriously, what is it about two people loving each other and simply wanting to express that love and have others witness it that scares those zealots so much? Should we go back to the days when blacks and whites were not legally allowed to get married? Oh wait, that would be bigotry and discrimination. So is this. Maybe those people should own up to the fact that they are intolerant bigots. Don't like that label? Tough, because by voting against something that is a matter of human dignity, you are showing yourself as a bigot. So, embrace your bigotry then. I want those who voted for that proposition to own up and say, "I voted for it because I am an intolerant bigot." Can't do it, huh? Unfortunately, that is exactly what you are revealing about yourself. Don't try to say that your religion tells you it is wrong. I can quote you the scripture too, like Luke 6:31, which by the way is not an exclusive Christian idea. The Golden Rule and reciprocity have been around for a while longer. And maybe, just maybe, that is what this is all about, the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

And by the way, I am not about to let minorities like blacks and Latinos off the hook either. To be honest, I am feeling kind of ashamed to be Latino after my brethren fell for this. Then again, a lot of them are Catholics. Not that it makes it right.

Anyhow, I was not planning on posting this (I wrote an earlier draft in my journal), but after reading some of the accounts, and after seeing Keith Olbermann's commentary last night, I knew I had to say something. Because at the end of the day, wrongs have to be denounced.

Here is Mr. Olbermann's commentary (from YouTube; was going to put the MSNBC, but the embed code is messing up Blogger). He said it very well: "this is about the human heart":





Get the text here. Maybe this cartoon by Tom Toles, (cartoon's date is 11/07/08) which was published in The Washington Post, make the point for you: