Hotashi

Proposition 8 Passed - Score One For Human Rights Violations

I am appaled. Completely appaled. There used to be a time when I would have supported proposition 8. I refer to that stage as my young, dark, naive stage of life; before I recognized the dynamics of my own privilege as a heterosexual being. In a nutshell, proposition 8 was a proposition put forth in the state of California where its citizens were able to vote on whether or not the passing of the gay marriage law should be reversed. I was shocked that it passed and because of this, same-sex marriages are no longer legal. It has not been decided whether those marriages conducted when it was legal will still be recognized under California law.

Aside from the blatant human rights violation, I am terribly disappointed that MILLIONS of dollars were raised by “Christian” (I use that term loosly) organizations in order to withhold this right from people - their fellow Americans. I do not see how any Christian can condone this behaviour. Do you really think you are doing God’s work by preventing same-sex marriage while there are people living in poverty in your own neighbourhoods? Do you really think Jesus will pat you on the back for getting your priorities in check by letting people starve while you stopped same-sex unions from being legalized? Do you really think you’re making this world a better place by creating, sustaining, and promoting ignorance, ostricization, and homophobia? Do you really think you are doing your children a favour by sustaining a hateful world? Seriously! This is bullshit.

Personally I am not necessarily “for” same-sex marriage, as in I do not openly promote/encourage it. But I do promote freedom of choice, acceptance of other peoples’ choices (as long as it is not endangering others - i.e. sexual exploitation of minors), and basic human rights. I believe everyone should be able to choose their own partners and nobody (including the state) has the right to tell another person who they can and cannot marry (unless exploitation of a minor is involved). I do not think that legally my heterosexual relationship should be seen as better than a non-heterosexual relationship, nor do I believe that my relationship should be privileged because it conforms to mainstream societal expectations. I am not better than anyone else and I truly believe that it is unfair, inhumane, and uncivilized to deny same-sex couples from having a legalized union. They are not people who are out to get Christians, and not all same-sex advocates are out to challenge right-wing Christian beliefs. Honestly, they have better things to do with their lives. They just want the right to be treated like humans, and they should be given that right because they ARE humans.

From a more Christian standpoint, I do not believe that Christians have the right to tell non-Christians how they should adhere to God’s principles. I do not believe that Christians should enforce their beliefs on others, legally or non-legally. Even though I have a definition of the type of relationship God expects of us, I do not believe that I should enforce that belief on others. Nor do I think I should look down upon anyone else who doesn’t conform to my beliefs. I am not better than anyone else and the legal system should convey this as well. America is supposed to be a country that promote free choice, freedom of religion, and in essence, to be who you are as long as you do not harm others. How can they condone the passing of proposition 8 with their constitutional rights? And how does same-sex marriage hurt American Christians? Maybe by making them realize they are not the centre of the world; that there are other people on earth that they have to mingle with who are not like them. So what, right? That’s been the reality since…forever. Even though this is obvious to me (maybe because the majority of my friends are non-Christians), I guess to those who are more restrictive in their exposure to the world, this is a shocking reality - one they would rather fight than accept.

I am deeply saddened that as a practicing Christian myself I have to see my own people act in such a disgusting, hateful manner and use God’s name to justify their actions. I am sad that homophobia is still rampant in Christian circles because of basic ignorance. There are people who truly believe that non-heterosexuals are pedophiles, sex addicts, monsters out to get us and our children, etc. To me it is just mind boggling that people believe this even though these messages are so rampant. The advertisements promoting proposition 8 portrayed same-sex marriage as attacking “traditional definitions of marriage” and “they” are trying to teach children to be gay. WTF? Why do people buy such BS? Are they really so fearful of the unknown that they will so easily be persuaded against Jesus’ message of loving one another? I really, really hope that Americans and Canadians can become more accepting, more open-minded, less inclined to accept victim-mentality, and overall more loving. I do not think we are making our world a better place for our children when we are teaching them that human rights violations are justified through ignorance and fear.

I think this quote sums up my position on same-sex marriage. “If Jesus recognized the separation between church and state, why are Christians so bent on making their religious beliefs law? If we recognize the laws of the land, as Jesus did, there can be no denying that, while there is no Biblical basis for same-sex marriage, stripping two willing adults of their right to marry in the U.S. constitutes discrimination, and, therefore, should be illegal.” Nadra Kareem @ Racialicious.