8 thoughts on where to go after [Issue] 8
The following is a response my brother (who lives in San Diego) wrote up in the midst of his anger and frustration over Issue 8's passing in California. It's still a work in progress, but I think it has some really great Ideas, and thought I'd repost it here (with his permission).
I am a straight man living in Hillcrest, San Diego (a predominantly gay neighborhood), and like so many others are shocked at the passing of Prop 8. Many people were protesting today on the streets and I sensed the growing anger. I talked to a couple of my gay friends and they told me about protesting at the Mormon church in La Jolla tomorrow. I fully understand why they are doing this but I am tempered by fear, as well at the growing anger I see directed from minority to minority. What followed was a long discussion over lunch between my friend and I over what to do next. Here are 8 ideas on where to go forward over Prop 8.
Stop the hate on black people and Mormons: This is a doomed proposition. Gay people as a minority cannot project their anger (however rightfully so) onto other minorities and blame them. The gay marriage issue is a matter of perception ad intolerance, and fortunately both are rapidly changing. Peaceful united protests, and leadership, are what we need. Tomorrow my gay friends are going to go protest at the Mormon Church here is San Diego, I understand, yet am very worried about their rush to anger and protest directed at the faithful with further alienate them as a “Godless fringe group" The anger is real but the hate must not be perpetuated, what would Doctor King, or even Yoda say about this? :P
Hit them financially: Churches should lose their tax exemption with support and contribution to political causes, if they can afford to support a bill or constitutional amendment that doesn't directly support them then they shouldn't be tax exempt! Also, start a peaceful economic boycott of businesses and organizations that support Prop 8. Very simple.
Spread the idea that Voting on Civil Rights is Wrong: We should never put civil rights to a vote, the argument that courts shouldn’t be “activist” is inherently wrong. The purpose of our courts is to PROTECT the minority from the will of the majority; there are many, many historical examples of this. Putting civil rights up to a vote is, as someone once said, like "three wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for lunch."
Saddle up to the Republicans: It may sound strange but there is a great opportunity now between gays and Republicans. Their party is now in a state of great reorganization and turmoil. The GOP is now split between the religious/evangelical side and the more moderate/traditional side. There is a growing consensus that the ideals and agendas of these groups are diametrically opposed. One group wants more of a religious flavored agenda and the other, moderate side, feels that government has no business in personal matters and should focus on more Reagan-era not Neo-Conservative ideals. Mark Twain once said, "Nothing needs looking after like the other peoples business" and the classic, now lost, ideals of smaller government not interfering in personal matters will be coming back into favor with those Republicans moving back to the middle. Dialog between gay republicans with this emerging majority of traditional moderates may offer unprecedented opportunity.
Respectfully point out the hypocrisy of using the bible to discriminate: It is hard to intellectualize and argue with something as absolute as religious beliefs, even in time of great discord we must respect the rights of others to believe what they want. However, many of the arguments against gay marriage come from the "absolute" word of God in the bible, noticeably absent is anything Jesus ever said about homosexuality. There is room for respectful debate, and frankly, the inherent hypocrisy of cherry picking the bible. Most of the passages used to highlight the so anti-gay word of God come from book of Leviticus. If we make into law something the bible says, or you hold one group accountable for specific teachings in scripture, shouldn't all those mandates from God thereby be enforced? By showing some other examples from the bible from the same scriptures (that frankly seem way out of touch or even harmful to modern day society) we may shed new light on their interpretation. Some examples from the Levitcus being the support of slavery, beating your wife, stoning people to death for not turning their crops, a wife having to marry her husband’s brother if her dies, etc.
Leadership: Gay people need unity and direction at this point. It seems already that gay rights will now be pushed to the forefront of the American political debate. Changing constitutions, outlawing adoption based on orientation, and prop 8, demand unity and strong leadership. A cohesive, strong and unifying voice is needed.
Point out marriage hypocrisy: This has been argued extensively but is deserves repeating: marriage fails half of the time, a majority of people know the pain and societal impact of divorce. I know that making divorce illegal sounds ridiculous, but so is using the argument of the "sanctity" of marriage to defend it, how is something that fails half the time a backbone of society? If the family is so important in raising a child why allow gay people to adopt but not marry?
Humor and the Internet: Gay people are the wittiest and cleverest people around. Ellen DeGeneres gave a witty and heartfelt message in support of her marriage that was very effective. It would be neat to see something like that movie a few years back, A Day Without a Mexican that shed light on the anger towards the immigration issue and showed - in a humorous way - the impact one group has on society. Somebody should make a Youtube series about “A Day Without Gays” with wit show how much our society benefits from gay culture. As Rodney King said, “I’m cool with the gays, they give the world flavor!”
I am a straight man living in Hillcrest, San Diego (a predominantly gay neighborhood), and like so many others are shocked at the passing of Prop 8. Many people were protesting today on the streets and I sensed the growing anger. I talked to a couple of my gay friends and they told me about protesting at the Mormon church in La Jolla tomorrow. I fully understand why they are doing this but I am tempered by fear, as well at the growing anger I see directed from minority to minority. What followed was a long discussion over lunch between my friend and I over what to do next. Here are 8 ideas on where to go forward over Prop 8.
Stop the hate on black people and Mormons: This is a doomed proposition. Gay people as a minority cannot project their anger (however rightfully so) onto other minorities and blame them. The gay marriage issue is a matter of perception ad intolerance, and fortunately both are rapidly changing. Peaceful united protests, and leadership, are what we need. Tomorrow my gay friends are going to go protest at the Mormon Church here is San Diego, I understand, yet am very worried about their rush to anger and protest directed at the faithful with further alienate them as a “Godless fringe group" The anger is real but the hate must not be perpetuated, what would Doctor King, or even Yoda say about this? :P
Hit them financially: Churches should lose their tax exemption with support and contribution to political causes, if they can afford to support a bill or constitutional amendment that doesn't directly support them then they shouldn't be tax exempt! Also, start a peaceful economic boycott of businesses and organizations that support Prop 8. Very simple.
Spread the idea that Voting on Civil Rights is Wrong: We should never put civil rights to a vote, the argument that courts shouldn’t be “activist” is inherently wrong. The purpose of our courts is to PROTECT the minority from the will of the majority; there are many, many historical examples of this. Putting civil rights up to a vote is, as someone once said, like "three wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for lunch."
Saddle up to the Republicans: It may sound strange but there is a great opportunity now between gays and Republicans. Their party is now in a state of great reorganization and turmoil. The GOP is now split between the religious/evangelical side and the more moderate/traditional side. There is a growing consensus that the ideals and agendas of these groups are diametrically opposed. One group wants more of a religious flavored agenda and the other, moderate side, feels that government has no business in personal matters and should focus on more Reagan-era not Neo-Conservative ideals. Mark Twain once said, "Nothing needs looking after like the other peoples business" and the classic, now lost, ideals of smaller government not interfering in personal matters will be coming back into favor with those Republicans moving back to the middle. Dialog between gay republicans with this emerging majority of traditional moderates may offer unprecedented opportunity.
Respectfully point out the hypocrisy of using the bible to discriminate: It is hard to intellectualize and argue with something as absolute as religious beliefs, even in time of great discord we must respect the rights of others to believe what they want. However, many of the arguments against gay marriage come from the "absolute" word of God in the bible, noticeably absent is anything Jesus ever said about homosexuality. There is room for respectful debate, and frankly, the inherent hypocrisy of cherry picking the bible. Most of the passages used to highlight the so anti-gay word of God come from book of Leviticus. If we make into law something the bible says, or you hold one group accountable for specific teachings in scripture, shouldn't all those mandates from God thereby be enforced? By showing some other examples from the bible from the same scriptures (that frankly seem way out of touch or even harmful to modern day society) we may shed new light on their interpretation. Some examples from the Levitcus being the support of slavery, beating your wife, stoning people to death for not turning their crops, a wife having to marry her husband’s brother if her dies, etc.
Leadership: Gay people need unity and direction at this point. It seems already that gay rights will now be pushed to the forefront of the American political debate. Changing constitutions, outlawing adoption based on orientation, and prop 8, demand unity and strong leadership. A cohesive, strong and unifying voice is needed.
Point out marriage hypocrisy: This has been argued extensively but is deserves repeating: marriage fails half of the time, a majority of people know the pain and societal impact of divorce. I know that making divorce illegal sounds ridiculous, but so is using the argument of the "sanctity" of marriage to defend it, how is something that fails half the time a backbone of society? If the family is so important in raising a child why allow gay people to adopt but not marry?
Humor and the Internet: Gay people are the wittiest and cleverest people around. Ellen DeGeneres gave a witty and heartfelt message in support of her marriage that was very effective. It would be neat to see something like that movie a few years back, A Day Without a Mexican that shed light on the anger towards the immigration issue and showed - in a humorous way - the impact one group has on society. Somebody should make a Youtube series about “A Day Without Gays” with wit show how much our society benefits from gay culture. As Rodney King said, “I’m cool with the gays, they give the world flavor!”