I love when the Credentialed Media disguises opinion as actual news. Of course, since bloggers tend to ignore Associated Press content because of their lack of wanting to share without payment, it took several days before someone actually noticed the missive, and linked it over at Fark, which usually catches things quicker: Gay Marriage: The Next Civil War?
First Vermont allowed civil unions for gay couples. Then Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage. California followed (but we know what happened there; stay tuned for more), as did Connecticut and Iowa, and then — oh, wait — Vermont ended up going all the way, offering full marriage to same-sex couples. Illinois has a civil union bill on the legislative ballot, and New York Gov. David Paterson is pushing to give gay couples the same marriage rights as straight couples in his state. Lawmakers in Maine, New Hampshire and New Jersey are considering the same for their residents. Washington D.C.’s lawmakers have moved to recognize gay marriages performed in other states (a final legislative vote will take place on May 5).
What’s interesting, but not unexpected, is that all the states granting marriage rights to gay couples are in the North. Even the states that recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships, such as Washington and Oregon, are in the North. Do we think this trend will start to move below the Mason-Dixon line, or is that where state legislators will, well, draw the line? Could gay marriage be the new civil war in our country?
Um……no? Wait, that would be “no.” No question or exclamation mark needed.
When California’s Prop 8 passed in November, taking away same-sex marriage rights that had been granted by the California Supreme Court, many people declared that “Gay is the New Black.” Activists across the board drew comparisons between current gay struggles and the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Just as black people were once denied certain rights — including the ability to marry a white person — many gay couples feel they are facing similar discrimination today.
How horrible! The People of California, population 36.5 million, engaging in Democracy to overturn the iron clad rule of 7 men and women. Kinda like how that pesky 9th Amendment lays out. Interesting that the author ignores the large support for denying gay marriage in California.
But on the whole, the black struggle for freedom and equality has been far more difficult. However, that doesn’t mean gay people should be treated as second-class citizens and denied the same rights as everyone else in America.
It has been much more difficult because Democrats were first for complete segregation, then were mostly against the Civil Rights Bill, and now treat the Black community as an interest group to be pandered to rather then individuals to be embraced, the latter being a deeply held conviction of Republicans and Conservatives. Democrats talk a good game, but, they will be the first to insult any Black who strays from the official doctrine, “leaves the plantation,” if you will, calling them racist and horrible names, and, do the same thing with gays. How many times have you seen a leftist call you, or some other person on the Right, gay as a slur?
So, overall, gay marriage will not cause a civil war. With all due respect, it really is just not that big a deal. I’d be more worried about the vast economic and social differences between the Blue and Red states, States Rights versus increasing federal powers, and the election of a massively far left president who believes in high taxes and a massive increase in federal control of the People. Hmm, come to think of it, those first two are considered two of the biggest causes of the Civil War.
PS: Just to be clear, if pushed, I would be against gay marriage, but, I am not opposed to civil unions. I have always held that marriage is a method of the church, a ceremony in the eyes of the Lord. But, this America, where freedom of the individual should reign supreme, along with Law, and there is no reason why two people who love each other should not be accorded rights similar to marriage under the eyes of the Law. I understand that that opinion may differ from many on the Right, and some on the Left, as well, but, I also think that the national level of the GOP should stay out of the debate, reserving it to the States, individuals, and private groups, where it belongs.
