WARNING-This is something I feel passionate about, so my writing is borderline angry. I am sorry to be so negative, but I am more sorry that things are the way they are...
As you know, I was overjoyed last week when Obama was elected President. I felt like America was finally making progress. I am still excited about it. However, my excitement has been somewhat muted by another decision some American's made last week...to ban gay marriage and legally institute descrimination. Tuesday's vote was deeply disappointing to all who believe in equal treatment under the law. All of us are harmed when any of us are discriminated against or have our fundamental rights taken away. As the proud sister of a gay brother, this personally affects me and my family. But I honestly think that even if I did not know a single gay person, I would never vote to make anyone a second-class citizen."Seperate but equal" is impossible...its garbage...haven't we learned that? I have told some of my friends this before, but I fully believe that one day our kids (or maybe our grandkids, but hopefully not that far in the future) will be shocked and ashamed that there was a time America descriminated against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered people. When I was a child and I learned that black people could not vote, and then later learned about Jim Crow laws, I was disgusted and amazed. How were we that cruel? Why wasn't it obvious that ALL humans deserve to be treated with respect? One group of people is not better than another group. We are all the same group...HUMAN (or if you wanna get more specific...American!) I think California's Proposition 8 and all the laws that passed are every bit as bad as those Jim Crow laws. I believe that love should never be forbidden, and I can not understand who or why anyone would choose to deny our brothers and sisters an equal shot at happiness. If you claim it is because of your religion, I dont want to hear it, because I am a Christian, and I was taught the Golden Rule, to "treat others how you want to be treated" and I was also taught that it is not my place to judge anyone...I will leave that for my Maker. Statistics say that about 10% of the United States is Gay. That is a huge percent! 1 in 10 people, y'all! How can we do this to them? We are not only letting them down, but we are letting ourselves down, because we are choosing hate and descrimination over acceptance and equality. It's wrong, and I'm angry. For me, last week was like "two steps forward (electing Obama), one step back (states passing this ban)." Next time this question comes up...please do not choose to deny 10% of American's the rights they deserve and are owed. What if you went to bed married and then woke up the next day not married? What if you spent a ton of money to have the perfect ceremony to celebrate your love and then it was all taken away, and you really just threw a big Valentine's party? What if someone told you that YOU could not be married? I am assuming you are a born-and-raised , hard working, honest American? So is my baby brother...and for that matter, so are most of the people who were just denied the priveledge to marry that we "straight" people take for granted!
Not only were marriage rights stripped in Cali, but Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas passed laws saying that you have to be married to adopt children, which means that both heterosexual and LGBT single adults can't adopt. Since same sex couples can't get married, they certainly can't adopt either. Did you know that Eli could be fired from any job just for being gay? The anti-descrimination laws that were passed for gender, age, race, ethnicity, and religion apperantly exempt sexuality. Why? Did you also know that you, me, or any Texas worker (especially in schools) can be fired for simply being an ally, because of being suspected of being gay, or "promoting homosexuality" (which in Texas can be argued as creating an uncomfortable sexual environment/sexual harassment.) The list of negative consequences these laws have produced goes on, and on, and on. How could we do this, especially in this day and age? It is dispicable. I can't even say anymore because I am already too upset, just from writing all this. It is a shame. To Eli, my gay friends, and every gay person out there...I'm sorry. I hope one day this wrong will be righted, and I hope that day is sooner than later. (I also hope that one day we have a Gay president! Hey, people said we would never have a black prez, and look at the progress we have made! It will happen!)
I'm sure not all of you will watch this video, but I wanted to post it anyways. This is well stated, and is how I feel about the issue. Sometimes it is hard for me to find the right words on "hot topics" like this, so I will just embed this video and hope you watch it. Whether you agree or not, all I ask is that you keep an open mind...
As you know, I was overjoyed last week when Obama was elected President. I felt like America was finally making progress. I am still excited about it. However, my excitement has been somewhat muted by another decision some American's made last week...to ban gay marriage and legally institute descrimination. Tuesday's vote was deeply disappointing to all who believe in equal treatment under the law. All of us are harmed when any of us are discriminated against or have our fundamental rights taken away. As the proud sister of a gay brother, this personally affects me and my family. But I honestly think that even if I did not know a single gay person, I would never vote to make anyone a second-class citizen."Seperate but equal" is impossible...its garbage...haven't we learned that? I have told some of my friends this before, but I fully believe that one day our kids (or maybe our grandkids, but hopefully not that far in the future) will be shocked and ashamed that there was a time America descriminated against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered people. When I was a child and I learned that black people could not vote, and then later learned about Jim Crow laws, I was disgusted and amazed. How were we that cruel? Why wasn't it obvious that ALL humans deserve to be treated with respect? One group of people is not better than another group. We are all the same group...HUMAN (or if you wanna get more specific...American!) I think California's Proposition 8 and all the laws that passed are every bit as bad as those Jim Crow laws. I believe that love should never be forbidden, and I can not understand who or why anyone would choose to deny our brothers and sisters an equal shot at happiness. If you claim it is because of your religion, I dont want to hear it, because I am a Christian, and I was taught the Golden Rule, to "treat others how you want to be treated" and I was also taught that it is not my place to judge anyone...I will leave that for my Maker. Statistics say that about 10% of the United States is Gay. That is a huge percent! 1 in 10 people, y'all! How can we do this to them? We are not only letting them down, but we are letting ourselves down, because we are choosing hate and descrimination over acceptance and equality. It's wrong, and I'm angry. For me, last week was like "two steps forward (electing Obama), one step back (states passing this ban)." Next time this question comes up...please do not choose to deny 10% of American's the rights they deserve and are owed. What if you went to bed married and then woke up the next day not married? What if you spent a ton of money to have the perfect ceremony to celebrate your love and then it was all taken away, and you really just threw a big Valentine's party? What if someone told you that YOU could not be married? I am assuming you are a born-and-raised , hard working, honest American? So is my baby brother...and for that matter, so are most of the people who were just denied the priveledge to marry that we "straight" people take for granted!
Not only were marriage rights stripped in Cali, but Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas passed laws saying that you have to be married to adopt children, which means that both heterosexual and LGBT single adults can't adopt. Since same sex couples can't get married, they certainly can't adopt either. Did you know that Eli could be fired from any job just for being gay? The anti-descrimination laws that were passed for gender, age, race, ethnicity, and religion apperantly exempt sexuality. Why? Did you also know that you, me, or any Texas worker (especially in schools) can be fired for simply being an ally, because of being suspected of being gay, or "promoting homosexuality" (which in Texas can be argued as creating an uncomfortable sexual environment/sexual harassment.) The list of negative consequences these laws have produced goes on, and on, and on. How could we do this, especially in this day and age? It is dispicable. I can't even say anymore because I am already too upset, just from writing all this. It is a shame. To Eli, my gay friends, and every gay person out there...I'm sorry. I hope one day this wrong will be righted, and I hope that day is sooner than later. (I also hope that one day we have a Gay president! Hey, people said we would never have a black prez, and look at the progress we have made! It will happen!)
I'm sure not all of you will watch this video, but I wanted to post it anyways. This is well stated, and is how I feel about the issue. Sometimes it is hard for me to find the right words on "hot topics" like this, so I will just embed this video and hope you watch it. Whether you agree or not, all I ask is that you keep an open mind...
"The road to freedom is a difficult, hard road. It always makes for temporary setbacks."
--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
6 comments:
Jules, you said that beautifully. I do not understand how so many people could discriminate so emphatically against people in love. It is so sad.
Also, i really like that pic of you and zac.
I completely agree with everything you said here. It's nobody's business to judge!
I could vent about this all day....these politicians are citing their source as the Bible for why they oppose gay marriage. While it is mentioned in the old testament, it's nowhere to be found in the gospels. Jesus did teach us love, compassion, humility, forgiveness, and grace. So it seems that their arguments are a little flimsy.
I like how you said that hopefully one day our children will look back at this and be astonished at how badly homosexuals were treated.
You don't know me (I am a friend of one of your friends, and found your blog through their site), but I completely agree with everything you said. Thanks for putting it out there and raising awareness. I am strait, but I feel as passionately about it as you do. It truly is a shame.
Thank you Jules; It's so great that I have such a supportive family. I can't wait to see you this weekend and swap a little music, ha ha. I don't work on Sunday, but I do have a project due on Tuesday, so I'll be working on that a bit. I'll have to look into the Rally on saturday, I work that day. I hope we can go, though.
ejo
This is was beautiful post! Your brother is so lucky to have a sister who is so out spoken in support of him. It means the world to me too to have someone standing by us in a time when half the country/world is turned against us. So thank you for having so much love and passion ; )
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