Friday, November 07, 2008
Same Sex Marriage Rights
I was disappointed to read that California voters approved a ballot measure to eliminate same sex marriage rights in the Golden State. I was even more disappointed to see that such an issue would even be eligible to be placed on a ballot question. The role of government when it comes to individual rights should not be up for ballot questioning. The government has an undeniable obligation to see to it that everyone is able to enjoy the same rights and liberties as American citizens. If Abe Lincoln had put the Emancipation Proclamation to a ballot question, how do you think voters would have responded? Exactly. Slaves would never have become free. It must have certainly been a very unpopular proposition at the time, but it took a politician with a backbone, one who rose above the bigotry of the day to realize that blacks should have the same rights and liberties as whites. Abe Lincoln realized that by freeing the slaves, not only did he lift up blacks, he lifted up whites as well. He made us a better nation through his courage and strength. What if government had put to a ballot question of men back in the 20's if women should be allowed to vote? What do you think the results of that vote would have been? Exactly. My progressive point is that we need leaders in government who will have the intestinal fortitude to stand up and do what is right...not what is popular, not what is going to get them reelected. History shall be the judge of said individuals. Unfortunately for gay rights, the struggle continues and some day a politician will come along and see to it that this minority population has the same rights and liberties extended to them as other married couples. Signed, Mullicaman
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2 comments:
California is one of our most liberal states and this is disappointing news. I feel that this is discrimination against one group of people. I read a long time ago, that the marriage license was started in the south because a white woman wanted to marry a black man and the Justice of the Peace refused them. The law makers came up with the license idea with rules attached to legally deny people they didn't feel were fit to marry each other.
All changes take time, at least N.J. has a Civil Union law as of 2007, where gay couple can get the benefits of marriage in legal, financial and health issues. That's a start in the right direction.
Agreed, but there is a long way to go for gays and lesbians to achieve equal rights under law. I suspect sometime in the next 10-20 years we will see our society progress to this point.
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