Baby Don't Hurt Me ...
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana
"I've got news for Mr. Santayana: we're doomed to repeat the past no matter what. That's what it is to be alive.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
Doubtless you have heard the first quote above but very few of you are aware of Vonnegut's response. However, both statements are equally true and valid.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 20 years or so, you are aware that one of the biggest issues that is currently dividing the country both socially and politically is the legalization of gay marriage. While the arguments on each side are both passionate and distinct, they reflect a frighting similarity to ones used most recently to fight for & against the "scourge" of racial blending.
It was barely over 50 years ago that interracial marriage was finally made legal throughout the country. While most people think that this only applied to marriages between blacks & whites, it also applied to any sort of marriage between people of any two different races. But since this fight was also taking place during the Civil Rights struggle, most people consider this issue to be a more "black & white" divide. But it was far more than that. Still, the laws were overturned and the social mores have for the most part, changed. However, there are still holdouts to these beliefs but there will always be some sort of dissension amongst the masses on any topic.
While I honestly believe that gay marriage will overcome the biases and become legally valid, it is going to take time. With more and more states overturning their bans and individually legalizing it, I feel that within the next 20 years or so it will become a non-issue.
Just like in the example of interracial marriage, the youth of the country will be the leaders of the fight and overturn these exclusionary laws. Being raised in an environment of tolerance, the current generations and those to come will see that love between two people is valid regardless of their race, sexual orientation or any other physical/social dividing line.
Change does take time but it is inevitable.
I will now step off my history lesson soapbox. The above is this week's therealljidol entry for this week's topic of Recency Bias. It's very late being written as I have had a hard time not only coming up with inspiration but I feel I have been inspired and hope you have enjoyed my essay.
- George Santayana
"I've got news for Mr. Santayana: we're doomed to repeat the past no matter what. That's what it is to be alive.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
Doubtless you have heard the first quote above but very few of you are aware of Vonnegut's response. However, both statements are equally true and valid.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 20 years or so, you are aware that one of the biggest issues that is currently dividing the country both socially and politically is the legalization of gay marriage. While the arguments on each side are both passionate and distinct, they reflect a frighting similarity to ones used most recently to fight for & against the "scourge" of racial blending.
It was barely over 50 years ago that interracial marriage was finally made legal throughout the country. While most people think that this only applied to marriages between blacks & whites, it also applied to any sort of marriage between people of any two different races. But since this fight was also taking place during the Civil Rights struggle, most people consider this issue to be a more "black & white" divide. But it was far more than that. Still, the laws were overturned and the social mores have for the most part, changed. However, there are still holdouts to these beliefs but there will always be some sort of dissension amongst the masses on any topic.
While I honestly believe that gay marriage will overcome the biases and become legally valid, it is going to take time. With more and more states overturning their bans and individually legalizing it, I feel that within the next 20 years or so it will become a non-issue.
Just like in the example of interracial marriage, the youth of the country will be the leaders of the fight and overturn these exclusionary laws. Being raised in an environment of tolerance, the current generations and those to come will see that love between two people is valid regardless of their race, sexual orientation or any other physical/social dividing line.
Change does take time but it is inevitable.
I will now step off my history lesson soapbox. The above is this week's therealljidol entry for this week's topic of Recency Bias. It's very late being written as I have had a hard time not only coming up with inspiration but I feel I have been inspired and hope you have enjoyed my essay.