Friday, February 11, 2011

Watershed moment for gay marriage in Maryland?

Crosspost from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters 

I read the following about lgbt families via Goodasyou from Jennifer Roback Morse. Morse is affiliated with the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage and she was testifying against allowing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island:

"When slavery was abolished, all slaves became free men and women. When women obtained the right to vote, the discrimination ended with the very next election. But for children of same sex marriage, the situation will be different. When we come to our senses 30 years from now and realize that we have perpetrated a grotesque injustice, not a single child born fatherless or motherless within a same sex marriage will get his missing parent back. Only prevention will protect children’s rights.

The thin disguise of marriage equality will not mislead anyone, nor will it atone for the wrong this day done"

Is it just me or is that rhetoric a tad nasty when it comes to same-sex families.

Perhaps it isn't just me. We are learning that it was rhetoric just like that which made a Maryland State Senator, Jim Brochin, recently change his vote from opposing same-sex marriage in the state to supporting it. He released this statement to the press:

“What I witnessed from the opponents of the bill was appalling.” Brochin said. “Witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community, and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles. I believe that sexual orientation is not a choice, but rather people are born one way or another The proponents of the bill were straightforward in wanting to be simply treated as everyone else, and wanted to stop being treated as second-class citizens.

Brochin added, “For me, the transition to supporting marriage has not been an easy one, but the uncertainty, fear, and second-class status that gays and lesbians have to put up with is far worse and clearly must come to an end.”

What's happening here is simple. When the right first began attacking same-sex marriage in 2004, the understanding about it was a bit simplistic. They were able to exploit people's ignorance by terming it as selfish homosexuals wanting to redefine marriage.

However, fast forward to 2011. People are starting to realize that same-sex marriage is not about lgbts wanting to "force affirmation." It is about love. And most of all, it's about family.

Lawmakers in Maryland were able to see and hear from real families who are affected positively by marriage equality. And what did the folks on the right have to oppose this? A bunch of hypothetical statements tuned to sound logical, but really amounted to the demonization of lgbt persons and families - a three dimensional personification of truth vs. lies, if you will.

Personally, I am all for it. When truth faces up against lies, sooner or later, truth wins.

And it's about time, too.

1 comment:

  1. My firt Grandchild, a male, was born to a gay mother and raisd by her and her family, biological and other. He was mentored by 3 Uncles who loved him. He was an exceptional student and never got into any trouble.He is NOT homosexual! He is NOT warped in his thinking in any way. He is so normal it is boring. He is now in his middle 20s and living a "normal" life. Being raised by a gay parent has never been a variable in his life.

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