democratic decisions and the process of cherry-picking
Do we get to cherry-pick democracy?
If we say that Barack Obama was duly elected by the democratic system to become the President-elect of the USA and that decision should be respected, then do we get to say that the decision on Prop 8 shouldn't be respected?
Disliked, disagreed with, disappointed with, dismayed at - by all means!
But dismissed?
I have people on my f-list who think that Obama is a huge setback to America's progress as Political And Economic Power Of Free Markets No. 1.
I have people on my f-list who think that Yes On Prop 8 is a huge setback to America's progress as a country with equality and justice for all.
However, both Obama and Yes On Prop 8 were decisions made by the American public. Whether I (or anyone else) agree or disagree with those decisions, they were made by the approved procedures of modern Western democracy and received a majority vote.
As such, I believe the process that chose them should be respected, even when we don't like the results.
Should the No On Prop 8 group be angry and frustrated with the results? Of course they should! I'd be disappointed if they weren't - bitterness comes out of disappointment which comes out of a denial of something passionately desired.
Should they protest? That's up to them. All I can say from personal experience that over the years my views on homosexuals and their rights have changed because of my personal interaction with them online and off, not because of any marches or protests I've witnessed.
Should Yes On Prop 8 be overturned? I don't know that I can say.
Yes, I know that it promotes inequality, and yes, I know that people on my f-list will be affected by it. Someone that I respect and admire a lot doesn't know if she's married anymore because of Yes On Prop 8 and it breaks my heart.
If it were up to me, then I'd say "Let the law be fair in this matter - let them be married in law and not just spirit, let them have all the financial and legal protections of marriage, but allow religious groups to have the discretion on whether or not they'll perform the weddings in accordance with what they hold to without facing class actions for discrimination."
However, it's not up to me. It was up to the American (Californian) public, and they voted 'Yes.' Overturning it would open a big can of worms about the nature of democracy and democratic decision-making - even a democracy that makes decisions that are innately unfair.
Do we get to cherry-pick democracy?
I don't believe so. Maybe someone out there can convince me otherwise; that's part of the nature of free speech, isn't it - the tacit permission to persuade?
And why do I do this to myself at 1:20am in the morning? Really? ACK.
If we say that Barack Obama was duly elected by the democratic system to become the President-elect of the USA and that decision should be respected, then do we get to say that the decision on Prop 8 shouldn't be respected?
Disliked, disagreed with, disappointed with, dismayed at - by all means!
But dismissed?
I have people on my f-list who think that Obama is a huge setback to America's progress as Political And Economic Power Of Free Markets No. 1.
I have people on my f-list who think that Yes On Prop 8 is a huge setback to America's progress as a country with equality and justice for all.
However, both Obama and Yes On Prop 8 were decisions made by the American public. Whether I (or anyone else) agree or disagree with those decisions, they were made by the approved procedures of modern Western democracy and received a majority vote.
As such, I believe the process that chose them should be respected, even when we don't like the results.
Should the No On Prop 8 group be angry and frustrated with the results? Of course they should! I'd be disappointed if they weren't - bitterness comes out of disappointment which comes out of a denial of something passionately desired.
Should they protest? That's up to them. All I can say from personal experience that over the years my views on homosexuals and their rights have changed because of my personal interaction with them online and off, not because of any marches or protests I've witnessed.
Should Yes On Prop 8 be overturned? I don't know that I can say.
Yes, I know that it promotes inequality, and yes, I know that people on my f-list will be affected by it. Someone that I respect and admire a lot doesn't know if she's married anymore because of Yes On Prop 8 and it breaks my heart.
If it were up to me, then I'd say "Let the law be fair in this matter - let them be married in law and not just spirit, let them have all the financial and legal protections of marriage, but allow religious groups to have the discretion on whether or not they'll perform the weddings in accordance with what they hold to without facing class actions for discrimination."
However, it's not up to me. It was up to the American (Californian) public, and they voted 'Yes.' Overturning it would open a big can of worms about the nature of democracy and democratic decision-making - even a democracy that makes decisions that are innately unfair.
Do we get to cherry-pick democracy?
I don't believe so. Maybe someone out there can convince me otherwise; that's part of the nature of free speech, isn't it - the tacit permission to persuade?
And why do I do this to myself at 1:20am in the morning? Really? ACK.