Random Thoughts, Love and Compassion: The Gay Marriage, Burma, and China Edition
This past week, the California State Supreme Court issued a decision that caused one or two people to sit up and take notice. They overturned a state ban on same-sex marriage, ruling that such a ban was unconstitutional.
From the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Ronald George (not that his party affiliation is relevant, but he is a Republican; the entire court is actually Republican-dominated): "[I]n contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights."
Finally, it seems, the idea of love and commitment is being given the lead role in defining a marriage, as opposed to what part of whose anatomy goes where and for what purpose.
There was, of course, an immediate reaction from conservative groups who are pushing a ballot initiative to amend the constitution to make marriage only between a man and a woman, which is their right, of course, and is a vital element of making the democratic process function.
But I just don't understand why they make this stand that smacks of nothing more than xenophobia. The fact that, say, Tim and John wish to express their love for each other through marriage would in no way invalidate or threaten the love of, say, Bob and Alice.
If you support this initiative, please tell me why you think gay marriage marks the end of the world, especially in light of the world literally and figuratively ending for so many in Burma and China, where figures estimate over 150,000 people are dead or missing following the two disasters.
What with the abundance of possible humanitarian causes available in the world, so many chances to make a loving and positive difference in someone's life, working to deny gays the right to marry not only seems mean-spirited and fearful, it also seems like the politics of the gated community, and while the gated community paradigm has been our model frequently throughout our history, I do not think we can maintain it any longer. There are too many political, economical, and even ethical reasons why we must give up this insularity.
From the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Ronald George (not that his party affiliation is relevant, but he is a Republican; the entire court is actually Republican-dominated): "[I]n contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights."
Finally, it seems, the idea of love and commitment is being given the lead role in defining a marriage, as opposed to what part of whose anatomy goes where and for what purpose.
There was, of course, an immediate reaction from conservative groups who are pushing a ballot initiative to amend the constitution to make marriage only between a man and a woman, which is their right, of course, and is a vital element of making the democratic process function.
But I just don't understand why they make this stand that smacks of nothing more than xenophobia. The fact that, say, Tim and John wish to express their love for each other through marriage would in no way invalidate or threaten the love of, say, Bob and Alice.
If you support this initiative, please tell me why you think gay marriage marks the end of the world, especially in light of the world literally and figuratively ending for so many in Burma and China, where figures estimate over 150,000 people are dead or missing following the two disasters.
What with the abundance of possible humanitarian causes available in the world, so many chances to make a loving and positive difference in someone's life, working to deny gays the right to marry not only seems mean-spirited and fearful, it also seems like the politics of the gated community, and while the gated community paradigm has been our model frequently throughout our history, I do not think we can maintain it any longer. There are too many political, economical, and even ethical reasons why we must give up this insularity.
posted by Devin at 10:21 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home