The Pugnacious Irishman

Read the introduction to this series.

Here is my teacher-friend’s initial bulletin post on Myspace (my initial response will come in the next post). Tell me what you think:

If you Voted No on Prop 8, this is for you! If you Voted Yes, you might read it – actually you SHOULD (maybe it will sway your opinion) otherwise disregard, as I’m sure you already have.

I am disgusted and appalled that the State of California passed Prop 8.  As I’m teaching the novel To Kill a Mockingbird in my class, we are covering topics such as injustice, intolerance, discrimination, and bigotry. As we discuss that no one has the right to take the rights away from another human being, that segregation is wrong, that we should not discriminate human beings just because they are different than ourselves, I have to lead these discussions in the face of a Proposition that does take away the rights from other human beings, that does segregate, that does discriminate just because someone is different.

What message are we sending our children? Since when did Californians stand for bigotry? Since when did the CONSTITUTION allow for it? To say that a group of people is not allowed something because of their sexual preference is bigotry, and we’re trying to make it a law?!

My students asked why gay and lesbian people can’t just get a civil union license, since it would guarantee them the same rights as my marriage license. My response was that I didn’t have to apply for one, why should they? My husband and I applied for a marriage license. If we tell gay and lesbian couples that they have to apply for the same rights, but we have to call it something different, HOW is that any different than black vs. white drinking fountains, riding the bus but only if you sit in the back, ‘colored’ bathrooms vs. ‘white’ bathrooms? It is so sad to me that in the same election that will make history because America elected its first African-American President, we took a step back seemingly 50 years. It’s the same problem, the same issue, only this time its based on sexual preference intsead of skin color. Call it what you may, say it’s different, but it comes down to the same basic principle.

Bigot – (n) a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; esp one who regards or treates the members of a group with hatred and intolerance. (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary)

This is what Proposition 8 has put into our State Constitution. Its unethical and immoral. Join us in the fight to re-open Proposition 8 for California. This isn’t over, the fight has just begun. Would you have given Rosa Parks your seat? Why won’t you give the gay and lesbian community your vote? Because they’re different?

Also check out related posts from my own blog:

Oy

Balancing Scripture, Reason, and Experience

Tony Jones: Same-sex Blogalogue Update

Tony Jones Part III: Something I Missed

Jim Carey, Eat your Heart Out

Proposition 8 Protest Links

Rights, Shmights

But its a Religious Argument!

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