"No" Votes
The last time I had to vote on a "yes" or "no" issue was 1992, back in South Africa. The question asked was, "Do you support continuation of the reform process which the State President began on February 2, 1990, and which is aimed at a new constitution through negotiation?" In other words, the question was, "Do you support the end of Apartheid?"
Only white South Africans like myself could vote in this referendum. Folks who knew me, but who were denied a say in this vote, reacted with anger... and hope. Anger that we whites got to decide their future, that the decision was not theirs. And hope that finally their apartheid nightmare could be over. I weathered a few scathing comments, but I know they would have been even more chagrined had I not voted, and yes, they had no doubt I'd vote to end Apartheid. It was a surreal experience. While I was glad to see Apartheid go, the nature of the referendum left me feeling a little sullied. It wasn't right that I had a say in their future, but I did, and I did what I had to do and voted "yes."
During the next few years the political leadership of South Africa negotiated a new constitution that subsequently has been held up by many around the world as one of the world's most advanced. Indeed, some argue it is the world's most advanced. It's more complicated than this, but essentially, those negotiating the constitution were predominantly determined that no prejudice of any kind should be left in our constitution, and that never again could any group be legally prejudiced against by another.
Inevitably this prejudice-free constitution led to the legalization (though not unflawed) of gay marriage in South Africa. Without any legal prejudices built in, there was nothing to stop it. We should in fact have been the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage, but like many other countries, our constitution was more advanced than our human weakness, and we fought it based on our prejudices. In the end, we did what was right. We also light a fire under the butts of other nations, and the legalization of gay marriage in other countries followed after the beginning of our battle. I'm only half-joking when I say that I don't think any of them wanted to be beaten to the punch by an African country.
Tomorrow Americans in California (Proposition 8), Florida (Prop 2) and Arizona (Prop 102) will vote on gay marriage and Arkansas will vote on gay adoption. All of these propositions are designed to strip gays of their rights. Voters in these states-like myself in that referendum-get to vote on the freedoms of another group, a group that I believe will very likely will be the last group humanity we will hold legal discrimination against-namely, the GLBT community (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender).
Next year agrathea and I will get married. If we want to we will be able to adopt children. Please end the discrimination and allow our GLBT friends the same rights. Please vote these measures down.
Only white South Africans like myself could vote in this referendum. Folks who knew me, but who were denied a say in this vote, reacted with anger... and hope. Anger that we whites got to decide their future, that the decision was not theirs. And hope that finally their apartheid nightmare could be over. I weathered a few scathing comments, but I know they would have been even more chagrined had I not voted, and yes, they had no doubt I'd vote to end Apartheid. It was a surreal experience. While I was glad to see Apartheid go, the nature of the referendum left me feeling a little sullied. It wasn't right that I had a say in their future, but I did, and I did what I had to do and voted "yes."
During the next few years the political leadership of South Africa negotiated a new constitution that subsequently has been held up by many around the world as one of the world's most advanced. Indeed, some argue it is the world's most advanced. It's more complicated than this, but essentially, those negotiating the constitution were predominantly determined that no prejudice of any kind should be left in our constitution, and that never again could any group be legally prejudiced against by another.
Inevitably this prejudice-free constitution led to the legalization (though not unflawed) of gay marriage in South Africa. Without any legal prejudices built in, there was nothing to stop it. We should in fact have been the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage, but like many other countries, our constitution was more advanced than our human weakness, and we fought it based on our prejudices. In the end, we did what was right. We also light a fire under the butts of other nations, and the legalization of gay marriage in other countries followed after the beginning of our battle. I'm only half-joking when I say that I don't think any of them wanted to be beaten to the punch by an African country.
Tomorrow Americans in California (Proposition 8), Florida (Prop 2) and Arizona (Prop 102) will vote on gay marriage and Arkansas will vote on gay adoption. All of these propositions are designed to strip gays of their rights. Voters in these states-like myself in that referendum-get to vote on the freedoms of another group, a group that I believe will very likely will be the last group humanity we will hold legal discrimination against-namely, the GLBT community (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender).
Next year agrathea and I will get married. If we want to we will be able to adopt children. Please end the discrimination and allow our GLBT friends the same rights. Please vote these measures down.