Justice and Power. Now, We Wait.
A few minutes ago, I received an email which started:
A few minutes ago, the California Supreme Court heard the final oral arguments in the case to overturn Proposition 8. Within 90 days, we will know whether the court will restore equal rights or uphold injustice.
So, now we wait to hear the outcome. Although both sides are and will be using whatever they can to speculate as to how this will go, and to keep building the fight. for, no matter how the court decides, the battle will not end here. This is just the beginning.
While I have a vested interest in the outcome- I’m a gay man in a committed relationship, who could benifit from the aboility to legally marry the man I love, I am also fascinated by the dynamics of it all and in awe of the amazing period in time in which we are living. In some regards this is way bigger than the Civil Rights Movement that sought to end discrimination against blacks. Slavery ended far earlier and yet the inequity continued in a country which saw itself as the leaders in justice and freedom. But the real underlying causes of the bigotry were well seen and understood. This battle is different. Here, the underlying argument is two-fold:
1) Keep the status quo. This one is hard to battle for it is easy for people to think, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. And people seem to be able to do just fine as is, so why make this change. The level of discrimination and injustice is not clear enough to the general population.
2) A few Bible passages that seem inequivocally to condemn homosexuality.
While it may be but a few passages, the reality is that this one is deeper than the deepest ocean and wider than the widest canyon. (I feel like breaking into song, don’t ask me why.) The depth to which manty take the Bible as literal- even if they are hypocritical in their actions- should not be underestimated. If you need any illustration, consider that as recently as the last presidential election, one of the vice presidential candidates believed that creationism should be taught in public schools! There are crazy believers who don’t believe science and think that dinosaurs were on the ark along with the elephants and the cows! The stronghold that this belief in the Bible has on our society is huge, and it is the real subject of the battle going on. What my partner of 10 years and I can or can not do is merely a representation of the bigger battle at hand.
But my purpose in writing today wasn’t to get into a rant.
The other day, I left a comment on a blog, where a person was arguing that anti-prop 8 supporters have more to lose, and the proponents of prop 8 have nothing to lose if same-sex marriage is allowed. I totally disagree, and until Marriage Equality proponants wake up and recognize why the opponents are so mobilized we will not get very far. For many of the more extreme among them, theior very notion of reality and godd and bad would be shaken to the core. That is no small thing! For those less extreme, but still opposed to Marriage Equality, the issue is the same but on a less intense level. They go about their everyday lives, living without a lot of thought to some of these big underlying questions. They don’t want to have to think about it all. for them, it is just easier to keep the status quo. I think my father falls into this group. He loves me and he accepts that I have a loving committed relationship, and yet he wishes I would just be quiet and accept things as they are. He doesn’t want to be pushed to really examine his life long core beliefs. He confronts them a little at a time- in a way that is comfortable.
The longer this goes on the more I want to take the least possible approach. I’d like to see the government get out of the “Marriage” business entirely. The government would issue Civil Union licenses which would give all couples straight and gay equal protections under the law. There would be no different in a same sex or a opposite sex union, in the eyes of the government. The churches however, get to keep marriage. Some, like the Unitarians will marry saame sex as well as opposite sex couples, while other denominations won’t. Just as Baptism means different things to different denominations, marriage could. All couples would be required to have the Civil Union License, and after getting that piece of paper (and the rights and privileges that come with it) the straight couples can go off and get married if they want.
This woud be a huge cultural change! However, perhaps the biggest part of it is that both sides would get what they want. We don’t live in a culture where Win-Win is a good thing. we live in a culture where poweer dictates there is a winner and a loser. The winner gloats and throws around power, and the loser uses a victim stance to whatever advantage they can. and the battle continues.
I’m off on a rant again.
But now, what we need to do is wait. 90 days. Wait. Breathe. Wait.
If you appreciate reading my posts, would you like to thank me with a coffee?
I have to admit first, that I’m generally not a fan of ribbons. My opposition position to ribbon wearing grew due to the AIDS epidemic as I saw people who would eagerly wear a red ribbon at a benefit, but would do little else in the fight against AIDS. As if by putting on a ribbon they had done their part.
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