What are they scared of?

I’m back (well, kinda).

I’ve been attending life.  I’m sure you can relate.

Anyways…

I have to vent and my FB page is not really the appropriate place to do it – based on the length of this topic. I have been posting minor rants, but this is more of an essay long rant.

In saying that, I don’t want to soak up newsfeed real estate for the casual FB user that doesn’t want to see my bullshit when they’re trying to find pictures and keep up on gossip – so, putting it here – it’s a choice if you clicked the link to get here.

I need to lay out my thoughts on Gay Marriage and the religious “law abiding” hypocrites that oppose it. I have many friends and family that are gay. I love them. I love them so much – I want them to have and experience the same commitment (joy, happiness, anger & frustration) in their life as I have – if they choose to.

So, first let me say that - I really don’t care if you oppose Gay Marriage. That’s your right. It doesn’t work for you. I GET THAT. In saying that though… if it doesn’t work for you – why does your view (or belief) have to be appropriate for someone that does believe in it?

If a law permitting gay marriage is passed, and you don’t believe in gay marriage – no one is forcing you to marry someone that is gay. No one is saying you have to be gay.

Let me paint the picture for you so you can understand why I am so passionate about this subject.

On June 12^th, 1967… 1 year and 4 months after I was born, the US Supreme Court knocked down a Virginia statute barring whites from marrying nonwhites. The decision also overturned similar bans in 15 other states. So that means – in my lifetime – it would have been against the law for me to marry a black man. IN MY LIFETIME!!!  Get it? Like states had laws on their books that said different races could not get married to each other because their religious (or whatever other twisted belief) made them write a law saying that.

So, since the law was passed, if you choose to marry someone from your own race – you can still do that. If you choose to marry someone from another race, you can do that too. IT’S A CHOICE. No one is forcing you to marry outside of your race just because there is a law that says everyone has the right to do it.

40+ years later, certain states want to prohibit another protected class of citizens from getting married.

There but for the Grace of God, go I.

(And in stating all of that - I still get dirty looks, snide remarks and discriminated against because of my choice to marry someone from another race)

Times change. People evolve...some slower than others.

There are some that want to hold on to the pre-60’s though. I get that too… but, making laws that prohibit a group of people from practicing (and benefitting from) the same thing that another group of people can do – is WRONG. There is no argument that can be made to validate it. If you’re making an argument to ban gay marriage – your argument is subjective. The objective argument is – we are ALL guaranteed the right of Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness.

It’s that simple.

 ****************************************

I had a conversation with a coworker the other day. We have similar social and political views and were having the conversation about gay marriage. I said, “Why would anyone want to impose their beliefs on someone else – when, as a country, we have the right to religious freedom… it’s what the country was built on.”  Without hesitating, she replied, “this country wasn’t built on religious freedom – people came here to avoid persecution because their religious beliefs were so radical, Europe didn’t want their kind there and they were given the choice to leave or stay and go to jail.”

I was stuck. That’s not what the text books told me. I had to think about that…

I thought about it for the rest of the day – and most of the next morning. What she said made complete sense. We have people that live here now that try to justify their actions, in God’s name…. and although they claim to be devout followers of their religion, they twist the bible (or whatever book of God they read) to suit their needs.

Wow – this has me fucked up now. How can people be so blind? How can people be so manipulative?

****************************************

I was listening to a conservative talk show on the way home from work the other day and the host said “Jesus said gays should not marry”.  I probably looked like a raving lunatic screaming at the radio while doing 70 mph driving home – but, people believe this shit! And because some nut job that has a few hours to touch many, many people within the sound of his voice, says something – THEY BELIEVE IT!!!  

******************************************** 

So, I guess the best way I could sum this up is… we are in a civil rights pressure cooker right now. Take out N***** and put in F*****. Seriously… this is what it must have felt like to be in the heat of trying to get equal rights for a group of people. So, the individuals that don’t like homosexuals – openly (to their face) call them names, discriminate against them, make laws to prohibit their pursuit of happiness… and then get offended when you call them on it - claiming "freedom of speech". These same individuals want to impose laws limiting freedom.

******************************************

I was accused by a conservative acquaintance that I have a closed mind because I will not accept his “belief” that gay marriage is wrong. As much as I tell him that he doesn’t have to marry someone that is gay (or Black, or Hispanic, or Asian) just because it’s legal – he still sticks to his guns that making a law that restricts someone’s right to pursue happiness is within his right to do so – because he doesn’t believe that gays should get married.

It’s a brick wall.

********************************************** 

My only question is: What are they scared of?