Question 1 and a rant
Question 1 and a rant
So by now everyone has probably heard the initiative to repeal gay marriage, a.k.a. "Question 1" has passed, albeit narrowly, in Maine. Now before you boycott your next (probably first) trip to Maine and board that plane to (Sweden/Norway/Denmark) just be aware that:
*Between 3 and 5 million gays and lesbians will go without health insurance this year--and next year--and the year after that. Congressional members who oppose health insurance including the public option will go unchallenged or face a poorly funded challenger next year.
*Approximately 2000 - 4000 gays and lesbians will die this year due to lack of health insurance (extrapolated numbers from a recent Harvard study).
*Based on estimates, thousands of gays and lesbians have been murdered in Iraq as a result of the destabilization of the country by the U.S. and allied forces in the past few years. Some of these murders have been horrific despite the attempts of some LGBT groups to establish safe houses in these country (sort of a gay underground railroad so to speak). Some of these houses have closed due to lack of funds despite the presence of affluent LGBT communities in Western Europe and the U.S.
But all we seem to hear about is gay marriage. Is it just a result of the media's obsession with gay marriage to the detriment of these other causes? Could it be that the power structure of the LGBT movement is decidedly more affluent and less concerned about issues that don't concern their demographic? I don't know. All I know is that to get empathy you sort of have to be able to give it. And I don't really see that right now from our community.
What do we want? GAY MARRIAGE! And when do we want it? BEFORE I FILE MY TAXES!
So by now everyone has probably heard the initiative to repeal gay marriage, a.k.a. "Question 1" has passed, albeit narrowly, in Maine. Now before you boycott your next (probably first) trip to Maine and board that plane to (Sweden/Norway/Denmark) just be aware that:
*Between 3 and 5 million gays and lesbians will go without health insurance this year--and next year--and the year after that. Congressional members who oppose health insurance including the public option will go unchallenged or face a poorly funded challenger next year.
*Approximately 2000 - 4000 gays and lesbians will die this year due to lack of health insurance (extrapolated numbers from a recent Harvard study).
*Based on estimates, thousands of gays and lesbians have been murdered in Iraq as a result of the destabilization of the country by the U.S. and allied forces in the past few years. Some of these murders have been horrific despite the attempts of some LGBT groups to establish safe houses in these country (sort of a gay underground railroad so to speak). Some of these houses have closed due to lack of funds despite the presence of affluent LGBT communities in Western Europe and the U.S.
But all we seem to hear about is gay marriage. Is it just a result of the media's obsession with gay marriage to the detriment of these other causes? Could it be that the power structure of the LGBT movement is decidedly more affluent and less concerned about issues that don't concern their demographic? I don't know. All I know is that to get empathy you sort of have to be able to give it. And I don't really see that right now from our community.
What do we want? GAY MARRIAGE! And when do we want it? BEFORE I FILE MY TAXES!