Infuriating
crboltz spotted this this morning. California Gay Marriage Foes Want Donors Anonymous. crboltz suggests that this means the boycotts are working, and he's probably right, but my blood has been boiling since I read the article.
First of all, the irony of Protect Marriage.com and the National Organization for Marriage California filing a lawsuit in an attempt to get some "activist judge" to overturn the law of the land for their personal benefit is lost on exactly no one.
Secondly, our campaign finance disclosure laws exist for a damn good reason. We understand that money plays a very important role in politics, and we have to be able to trace where it comes from. To allow anything else to be the case is to say that it's O.K. for Bill Gates to buy whatever election he wants without anyone ever knowing.
I'm certainly not condoning vandalism or threats of violence. If the threats, broken windows, and "white powder" envelope incidents really occurred, then they should be investigated with all vigor and the people responsible (who may or may not be Prop 8 opponents -- innocent until proven guilty) should be brought to justice.
However, I have to state that with the exception of the "white powder" incident, every example cited in the media report that allegedly happened to a Proposition 8 supporter has happened to me personally because of my sexual orientation. People refusing to do business with me? Check. Threatening phone call? Check. Flyer distributed calling me an unfortunate name? Check. Genuine fear for my safety? Check. Folks, this is what it feels like to be part of an oppressed minority, and that's why we fight so hard for equal protection under the law, and spend so much effort trying to change the hearts and minds of others.
And, finally, I need to point out one last irony. The Pro-8 bigots are seeking anonymity. And yet anonymity is one of the things that Proposition 8 denies to gays and lesbians. You see, in several California counties, marriages can be private. That means no one except the couple can pull the vital record. You can be married, anonymously, for as long as you like if you're heterosexual. You can marry someone of another race, someone of a very different age, marry someone above or below your social class, or any number of things that your peers may not approve of, without having to worry that they might find out. However, if a homosexual wants rights that are similar to (but not the same as) marriage, they must register as domestic partners. The domestic partner registry is a statewide, public database. In other words, we must out ourselves to get our basic rights. We have no anonymity anymore.
Look, if you don't support same-sex marriage, you have the right to believe as you will. You have every right to vote whichever way you please -- anonymously. But if you're going to actively work (and yes, donating money is actively working) to take away the right of others to marry, then take off your white hood and stand for what you believe.
First of all, the irony of Protect Marriage.com and the National Organization for Marriage California filing a lawsuit in an attempt to get some "activist judge" to overturn the law of the land for their personal benefit is lost on exactly no one.
Secondly, our campaign finance disclosure laws exist for a damn good reason. We understand that money plays a very important role in politics, and we have to be able to trace where it comes from. To allow anything else to be the case is to say that it's O.K. for Bill Gates to buy whatever election he wants without anyone ever knowing.
I'm certainly not condoning vandalism or threats of violence. If the threats, broken windows, and "white powder" envelope incidents really occurred, then they should be investigated with all vigor and the people responsible (who may or may not be Prop 8 opponents -- innocent until proven guilty) should be brought to justice.
However, I have to state that with the exception of the "white powder" incident, every example cited in the media report that allegedly happened to a Proposition 8 supporter has happened to me personally because of my sexual orientation. People refusing to do business with me? Check. Threatening phone call? Check. Flyer distributed calling me an unfortunate name? Check. Genuine fear for my safety? Check. Folks, this is what it feels like to be part of an oppressed minority, and that's why we fight so hard for equal protection under the law, and spend so much effort trying to change the hearts and minds of others.
And, finally, I need to point out one last irony. The Pro-8 bigots are seeking anonymity. And yet anonymity is one of the things that Proposition 8 denies to gays and lesbians. You see, in several California counties, marriages can be private. That means no one except the couple can pull the vital record. You can be married, anonymously, for as long as you like if you're heterosexual. You can marry someone of another race, someone of a very different age, marry someone above or below your social class, or any number of things that your peers may not approve of, without having to worry that they might find out. However, if a homosexual wants rights that are similar to (but not the same as) marriage, they must register as domestic partners. The domestic partner registry is a statewide, public database. In other words, we must out ourselves to get our basic rights. We have no anonymity anymore.
Look, if you don't support same-sex marriage, you have the right to believe as you will. You have every right to vote whichever way you please -- anonymously. But if you're going to actively work (and yes, donating money is actively working) to take away the right of others to marry, then take off your white hood and stand for what you believe.