New York Is A Better Place!

I'm a little late in posting this, but New York finally passed gay marriage into law! It's the sixth state to do so, and the most populated state to pass it by far. It makes me happy to see another state finally recognize that marriage is a basic right for all people.

Ignore the image (ATHF was an awesome movie, though) and listen to the lyrics. When these things happen, even though it's on the other side of the country, I always feel like partying. I even did a little victory dance when I heard the news. Congratulations New York! You have made your state a better place to live, and you have made the government of this country seem slightly less bigoted!

Gay Marriage In New York

New York is voting on whether or not legalize same sex marriage. It's passed their state Assembly, and is in their Senate. They were supposed to end their legislative session today, but it looks like they will be there for most of the week.

I'm hoping it will pass (and it looks like it just might) because if New York accepts gay marriage, it will do a lot for the cause as a whole. New York is the third most populous state, and contains the most populous city (New York City). If they legalize gay marriage it will be a huge step for this country.

Of course, there are protesters to try and stop the bill. There are also counter protesters, and that makes me much happier about the whole thing. The protesters are praying and chanting "God says 'No!'". One protester even said if they pass this law, we will become Sodom and Gomorrah.

What?

Do they not realize that legally we can't legislate religious beliefs? It doesn't matter what 'God' says, this is not a mother fucking theocracy. If you want to gripe about something within the law, bring a secular reason! Your religion has no legal standing to make decisions for this country, or its citizens. I actually challenge you to give me a secular reason homosexuals should not be allowed to marry. Try. Think hard. And "Because I don't like/understand/participate in it." is not a good reason. (Also, it does happen in nature (like we aren't part of nature?) so that's a shit answer too!)

This is the kind of bullshit I'm so tired of seeing. You can practice your religion, you can hate homosexuals, non-whites, women, whoever the fuck you want to hate, but you can't force that point of view on others! This is why we progressives call you bigots. This is why we say you are homophobic. This is why we call you bible thumpers. If you don't like those names, quit being so damn deserving of them. Learn that we are all people, and we all deserve the Exact. Same. Rights.

On a related note, I read a few of the comments left by readers on that news article. My favorite had to be this little gem,

You would think that jobs and the economy would be more important to the citizens of New York than this?

What a stupid comment. People care about equal rights and love just as much, if not more, than the economy. I would focus more on getting my rights than other peoples jobs if it were my ability to marry the love of my life on the line. Especially since there is no real justification to deny that right. 

I hope in only a few years we will view this as the equivalent of  denying blacks or women the right to vote. Or denying interracial marriage. Let's keep our fingers crossed, shall we?

Marriage Equality

THIS WAS ONE OF OUR BETTER POST'S BUT I FEEL IT WAS OVER LOOKED BACK WHEN REVEREND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IT AND I FEEL IT DESERVES  BETTER AIR TIME. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I GIVE YOU "MARRIAGE EQUALITY" BY THE REVEREND......

 

I recently read a slightly optimistic bit of news. In a quick summary it says;
The firm hired to defend the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) has dropped out due to the political backlash they have received from the gay community and its hetero supporters.
Good. Unfortunately there is no shortage of law firms willing to defend that bit of legislation.

I'm not really here to talk about  the news story, it was simply a catalyst, but to express my opinions on gay marriage, marriage in general, and equality.

I have never heard a valid argument for the denial of marriage rights for homosexuals. Not once. Never. I hear religious arguments, but this isn't a theocracy. This is not a country where we look to an old bronze age text to make our laws. Well, it's not supposed to be. I have no patience for those arguments. Your deity is not special, your book is not magical, and no amount of faith should ever justify bigotry and oppression.

Then there is the sanctity of marriage arguments. 'If we let the gays marry it will ruin the sanctity of the whole thing!" What? How? They can never seem to give a satisfying answer to how. Marriage has ruined its own sanctity. Here are the divorce rates from Wikipedia;
More reliable statistics are available that measure the percentage of marriages that end in divorce within 10 years. One data set based on age of the bride indicates that the rate is 48% for people under 18, 40% for ages 18–19, 29% for 20-24, and 24% for 25 and older.
Those are some pretty high rates, and here in Utah many brides are around the 18-20 age. But hey, it's a super sacred institution still, right? Well, no. If it was so sacred, it would never have changed.


The last argument I usually hear is that marriage is defined as a man and a woman. Well definitions change, it's the beauty of language of changing times. Marriage has changed before. It will continue to change. If it remained in its 'perfect, sacred' definition, women would still be property, and divorce would be illegal. Only the craziest fundy wants that to be how the state regulates marriage. The arguments just don't add up and I think they really are just being half-hazardly thrown together to hide the simple fact. People who are against gay marriage are bigots. They won't admit it, but they are. They throw this smoke screen of faith, morality (like sexual orientation is a moral decision), and strict definitions to hide their bigotry, hate, and fear.


In Utah we have a church that spent $22 million to deny the rights of gays in California. Money that could have been used for any number of good deeds was used to get legislation passed that actively stripped people of their rights. They allow homosexuals in the church, if they take what amounts to a vow of celibacy. They truly believe homosexuality can be 'cured' through counseling, like it is a psychological disease. That is crazy to me. I had someone tell me that and I asked him, "So, can I send you to counseling and make you want to suck my cock?" He was flabbergasted that I would even suggest that, but that is essentially what they are claiming. We can change how you feel sexually with therapy! What horse shit. They do all of these horrible things, then have the gall to say that they are a loving faith, an inclusive faith, and just the sweetest people you can hope to meet.


Personally, I dislike all marriage. It seems antiquated, and I don't think it really is able to cater to all the different kind of relationships real people actually have. I am am advocate for love, whether that is expressed as a man and a woman, a gay couple, two men and a woman, etc. As long as all parties are consenting adults, and happy with the arrangement. If you want to get married, by all means go for it. If you want that as part of your loving relationship you should have every right to get it, but to deny that right to fellow citizens is appalling. I also believe the state needs to offer the same legal protection to all sorts of adult relationships. If 3 people want to be married to each other, let them. What does it hurt?


I can already hear the arguments to my opinion, so let me be clear on one thing,


Allowing this to happen does not endanger, cheapen, or lessen you marriage/relationship. If it does, then you were on shaky ground long before. No one is going to try to take your relationship away from you, or how special it makes you feel.


Watching these bigots make their hate speech to fellow citizens sickens me. It makes a pit in my stomach. They are people too. The gay people I know are caring, compassionate, wonderful people. They aren't these immoral monsters people paint them to be. We are all human, we all deserve the same rights, and sexuality doesn't change that.