Monday, November 03, 2008

One More Time: Yes on 8 = Hate

I have been absolutely astounded at the preponderance of Yes On 8 signs in my own neighborhood. I never knew I lived in such a hate-filled place.

This is an actual conversation a friend had with one such supporter:

So you remember our old neighbors Devin and Roger? They got married. The guy I used to work for, Jim? He married his long time partner. Can you tell me how that affects your marriage? Really, what does that have to do with your day to day life?

Oh it doesn't.


Then WHY are you voting Yes on 8???

(Excited) They're going to teach it in schools.


What do you remember being taught about marriage in school?

(thinks for a minute)... Nothing...nothing at all.

EXACTLY!

At the end of the conversation, she was on the fence. Baby steps = progress.

Twenty plus years ago when my sister's nieces and nephews were all grade schoolers, I met one of their cousins. The boy (aka "Jay") was obviously gay to me. I worried a bit about him growing up with a passion for dancing in such a "he-man," sports fanatic family. The other cousins would often make snide remarks about "fags."

Now that all of these boys are young men, I asked my sister's nephew how Jay was. He spoke in glowing terms of his Broadway bound cousin. When I reminded him of his and his cousin's homo-phobic tendencies growing up, he replied, "It's different when it's someone you know and love."

That's how we change the world, one little bit of love at a time.


****************************
Re: Comment posting: Feel free to post comments IF you have a PUBLIC blogger profile and you keep the hatred to a minimum, otherwise they will be rejected. Again, MY blog is not YOUR forum. You are a visitor; please be respectful.

3 comments:

Reamworks said...

Evangelicals! Please vote NO on proposition 8. It's a mormon trick

CreekHiker / HollysFolly said...

Reamworks, While I hate to point a finger at any one religion, you are correct in that tons of $$$ has been poured into the Yes on 8 campaign from Utah.

I read both your blogs and hope you keep blogging after the election. You are passionate and have some interesting opinions.

Linda@VS said...

I wouldn't have thought there would be so much provincialism in America's most liberal state. It'll be interesting to see the outcome of this election.