5.29.2009

Really, California?

Okay, I just cannot tolerate it anymore. The fact that Californians passed Prop. 8 in the first place, okay. I can understand that. There are conservative parts of California. Well I don't understand it, but at least it was a legal, clean, vote. But the for the courts to uphold it-that just flabbergasts me. Since when is it okay for a majority to take away rights from a minority? I guess that in 2009 we really aren't as progressive as we thought. I mean this is America people, we should have equal rights for everybody! Not just every other person or those who fit the religious standards that we are supposed to be protected from with the first amendment. But I guess that doesn't matter either. I mean, I feel like being gay is my Scarlet Letter. And don't get me started on Oregon. We have Portland, we have Eugene...centers of community and cultural diversity. How could this happen? And does this mean that really there are more homophobic people here in Eugene than I initially thought? Gay people are just the new "other", some ubiquitous sub culture that mainstream culture hates for no real basis, just pure stupidity and all hatred. The saddest part to me is that when gay people are finally treated equally, there will just be a new "other".

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Stupid people hate what they don't understand. They are simply full of fear. Sad, true, pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Keep up the dialogue, because through avenues of communication like conversations, expressions through art, literature, and entertainment we will continue to educate our nation and set examples for them of how to love each other and how to conduct a civil society.

Attitudes really are changing, albeit slowly and sometimes one step forward and two steps back. Remember the pendulum swings both ways.

Change makes some people very uncomfortable and even angry and afraid.
Once their foundation has been shaken, they will be able to begin to accept new information as being possibly true. Letting go of our institutionalized beliefs and accepting changing ideals about gender, sexuality and marriage are core issues that will take a lot of time to percolate through all of the strata of society.

In the meantime, I am thankful for the rule of law to protect us all.

Carrie Ann

Anonymous said...

That's what happens when a federal case is made of it.

susan said...

I can't help but continue to be shocked when things like Prop. 8 get passed. Even when it was first on the ballot I couldn't imagine that there was any real danger of it actually passing. It's a rude reminder that there really is a world outside my little liberal cocoon, and I don't like it.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes it takes those challenges to our civil liberties to shake us out of our complacent acceptance of the status quo and force us to make adjustments to our constitutional rights and to better define them to fit our times.

At one time, the constitution declared the Negro worth 3/5's of a person. In the future we will look back at Prop 8 in the same way. Carrie Ann