If A Kerry Vote Is Wrong…
Sometimes, being a know-it-all sucks… especially why you are right.
I don’t think that it’s any surprise that I am not packing to move to Europe because Bush has been re-elected. I don’t expect him to destroy this country. I do think that liberals, like myself, have to be very vigilant about being aware of what is going on Washington on social issues and to be very loud when trouble approaches… not snarky… loud and righteous.
Remember, one of the stories that went little written about in the Ohio Delay was that 11 or 11 states that voted on gay marriage voted against gay marriage. Again, this issue does not rise to a woman’s right to choose for me, but 11 of 11 is kind of scary. A nation that has so devalued marriage is still ready – anxious even – to deny the right to a group of citizens who are so much an accepted part of people’s lives now. How many people who voted against gay marriage are regular viewers of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy or Desperate Housewives? It reminds me so of Do The Right Thing and the conversation between Spike and John Turturro about black sports heroes who were not “niggers” because he had a stake in who they were. We are not as advanced a nation as we like to think. After all, this is not an issue of anything but convention and while I understand the emotional urge to “defend marriage,” I am saddened by the big picture inability to see beyond what makes us uncomfortable and to allow convention to be part of the lives of all of our nation’s citizens.
Kerry’s concession speech is 75 minutes away. Michael Moore has been silent so far, though the last we heard from him was how great things were going in Ohio. Bush will speak out at 1p pst.
The division in the country over George Bush isn’t going to go away, even with a decisive popular vote, including an actual majority, and no one bothering to notice that the Kerry-won Pennsylvania was actually a closer election than Ohio. The question in the weeks to come is not about healing the wounds of a divided nation. That’s a bunch of words.
For me the question I pray will be answered well is whether my people, those who voted for Kerry, can get past the vitriol and looking like poor losers and keep the energy going to try to fulfill the powerful role of the loyal opposition. The Presidency is gone for another four years. What will we do between now and then? How much attention will we pay to the issues we used for leverage in arguments over the last six months? Are we really committed to a different idea of America or are we just a bunch of whining dilettantes, turning up the heat only when our blood sugar is too high?
It is time for all of us to speak about the America we want and not obsess on the America we don’t want. Get the freakin’ message, gang. Clinton was a centrist, Bush is conservative and Arnold Schwarzenegger is a constitutional amendment away from the presidency. We need to stop, breathe, and refocus on the big picture… pick some big issues… start arguing the truth of how liberals see themselves – as messengers of acceptance – instead of trying to fight fire with fire.
I don’t care how many stories come out about how The Bushies used fear and loathing to win the day. There was no loathing out there greater than that which was spewed towards Bush every day of the cycle. Bush won because he and the Republican Party kept it simple, stupid. Too simple for my tastes. But I do understand that it is not anti-intellectual.
It is the same decision a child makes when a stranger approaches. It is simple. And it comes from the gut. If the stranger gets the child’s trust then starts screaming about how dangerous crossing the street is like a maniac, the child will lose that trust, even though what they are hearing is completely accurate and well intended.
And yes, the gut is often horribly wrong. But it is the nature of humanity. Deal with it.
The future of this country is not a debate, won on points, judged by someone. It is a dining room table discussion, won slowly over time by repetition and sincerity and, horror of horror, real emotional commitment.
Remember that moment when you first convinced your parent that you were right about something and that their long held view was no longer the best view? It is a great feeling. Blue states… the red states are your family in America. Stop telling them how ugly you think their house is and sit down to break some bread. You have four more years in which to talk…
Liberals are out of touch. It is showing in the national elections. Showing in the House. SHowing in the Senate. Their playbook is tired and old and filled with the same old, ideas that have proven not to work.
David,
I think your comments are absolutely correct. I’ve been reading the political commentators all day and you have provided more insight than any of them so far. Maybe you should focus more on politics and less on film? (Just joking …)
Marriage is first and foremost a religious institution. The government got involved because it saw the stabilizing effect of marriage, and sought to encourage it. That involvement wasn’t meant to be a back door for those who wanted to fundamentally change the original structure of marriage. Yes, the religious foundation of marriage has been slowly whittled away since the government has gotten involved, but to make irrelevant the man-woman dynamic of marriage is the most aggressive “attack” yet. This isn’t homophobia; this is those who value the original intent of marriage finally taking a stand.
Not homophobia? You’re delusional. Of course it is. Why don’t straight people worry about infidelity and divorce destroying the sanctity of marriage? We have been screwing up marriage without any outside help for a very long time.
A Catholic church is under no obligation to marry non-Catholics, and it shouldn’t be. Same goes for a Jewish temple.
Likewise, no church should be required to marry a homosexual couple. I think we can all agree on that, no?
But what the *government* does is another matter. The question of religion should not enter into a government marriage contract. Gays should absolutely have the right to marry, even if the only place willing to marry them is City Hall.
Of course saying marriage is an institution of only
men and women totally ignores the fact it’s a
PAGAN RITUAL. Much like Xmas and Easter, the very
lacking in advertising skill Catholics AKA CHRISTIANS
adopted marriage as well as the winter and spring
festival celebrations. If any dumbass wants to defend
this institution, that can enable Britney Spears to
get married as a goof, but two men or two women
who love one another cannot. Then you can literally
just fuck off. This is a totally homophobic situation.
If you cannot see it; either get out of your own
closet or just look in the mirror and accept you
dislike or hate a segement of this population that
has members who have gone a long way to entertain
your monkey ass.
SEPERATE but not EQUAL.
How can 59 million people be so dumb?
Imagine playing a game where every facet of the game is basketball, except that the basket is replaced with goal posts. Is it still basketball? No, because you’ve changed a core fundamental that makes basketball the sport it is.
With civil unions, a homosexual couple can have everything that the state provides to traditional marriage. I don’t see that as the ultimate objective for advocates of gay marriage. The “marriage” label seems paramount. This is seen as another opportunity to mainstream the lifestyle, and another opportunity to stick it to those that disagree. From what I’ve learned, there was no clammoring for same-sex marriage among the gay community. A line in the sand was drawn, and people were compelled to choose a side. This has become a matter of principle for both sides of the issue.
The government got involved in marriage to encourage the stabilizing effect it has on society. Its wrong to use that government involvement as a backdoor to fundamentally change the original intent of marriage, in my opinion.
How does marriage have a stabilizing effect on society? And what was the original intent of marriage? And what if people who don’t want to have children want to get married? Should we tell them no, because anti-gay marriage people always argue that marriage is about procreation and that only a man and a woman can do that. Seriously, I don’t think any sane person with a brain can argue against gay marriage. Aaron, you haven’t made a single reasonable point in your defense of “traditional marriage.” What a joke. How come these idiots never rant and rave about divorce and infidelity destroying the sanctity of marriage? Aaron, why is that?
Gays will never be able to marry. Thats not marriage. Even Kerry couldn’t tell people his real opinions on the subject cause half of his base don’t want it either.
why should republicans give a shit about gays? they don’t vote for them anyway. just like blacks. both groups are blind and vote strictly on party. when they vote at all
Republicans give a shit about gays–as well as Blacks, Jews, Arabs, Asians, Latinos, the poor, and Hollywood–because they need boogeymen. When Nixon eked out a victory in 1968, the GOP learned that fear is a winning issue. Fear of “them.” And ever since Communism went toes up, they’ve needed plenty of new Scary People. This year especially, they played to their religious-fanatic base perfectly: “them” was anyone was who was not a “true believer.” Think back: no Republican ever runs “for” something, he runs “against” something, usually his opponent. Even Reagan ran less as Reagan than as “not that weakling Carter” and “not that tax-hiker Mondale.” And Bush ran as “not that liar Gore” and “not that pussy Kerry.” And thus it will ever be.
boogeymen? give up the conspiracy theories mike. u sound like nixon
funny how liberals have become what they hated
We better watch out with this subject. Brotherhood and his partner are liable to call us homophobes for not letting them marry.
No conspiracy theory. They all but admit it: frighten people into voting for us. Ohio lost a quarter million jobs under Bush, but that was less important to Buckeyes than preventing two women they’ve never met from getting married: fear of gays. They used the new Osama tape to claim their superiority in fighting terrorism, though a rational person would look at that tape and think, “Bush still hasn’t nailed this asshole”: fear of invasion. And on and on and on…
See its thinking like that that makes people vote the way they do. You trying to impose your views on society. Sorry to tell you but the majority of this country respects marriage between a man and a woman. And don’t want that ruined by gay marriage. And are insulted when they have those views imposed on them.
Mar, how will gay marriage ruin straight marriage? Haven’t straight people ruined marriage on their own, with infidelity and divorce? What about those two issues? Why aren’t you worried about that? Why do you even care what two consenting adults do behind closed doors? How does that concern you or your marriage?
A lot of people in this country think marriage is reserved for a man and a woman. I tend to agree with that. Let the gays have civil unions so they can have wills and benefits. But no marriage.
Mark, what is with you? YOU DID NOT ANSWER A SINGLE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS! Is that intentional? Because there is no reasonable answer? Or can you not read?
More to the point: what business is it of the government’s who can or cannot marry? It began as a religious rite, not a legal one; it’s now both, but still: what business is it of the government’s?
hmm…
On one hand, gay people are people like anyone else, and deserve to get married.
On the other hand, marriage is a union blessed through religion, and people are uncomfortable with having their religion manipulated by the government.
so what differentiates these?
PERSONAL OPINION
and therefore majority rules because there is no right or wrong
get over it, bitches
No offense, your questions are tedious to read and noring. I gave my answer to this query. Marriage is reserved for a man and a woman. Thats it. Gays don’t have that and might never have it. Thats life.
It concerns me because I do believe marriage is between a man and woman. Is that so hard to read? I do not think gays have the right to marry. Civil unions? Fine.
Through religion? Bollocks. If you know history.
You will discover that marriage just another thing
those Catholics adapted to their own needs. It’s
a totally bogus ceremony that has no basis under
the CHRISTIAN GOD unless you want it that way.
Marriage: SUCKS. Let us be honest. It’s nice to
share your life with someone, but if you are a
male you are guaranteed to lose half. If you do
not lose half as a male. All other life-altering
shit occurs that either ruins your life or gives
you perspective only a failed marriage can give.
All people, should be given this right. Sure. It
works out some of the time, but every one out of two
marriages END. Straight folks are not exactly
burning it up when it comes to our respect for
the sanctity of this pagan ceremony. It would
be easier not to goof on you Mark. If it was
not a proven fucking fact that heteroes dont
give two shits about marriage. Britney Spears can
get married, and anulled in a matter of 48 hours,
but two people of the same sex cannot? You can
just not defend marriage on the basis of it
being religion or some holy and great thing, because
we straight folks SHIT ON IT ALL THE TIME. WE ARE
SHITTING ON IT RIGHT NOW.
Thus the reason why any constitutional amendment
against same sex marriage or even someone against
it brings up a red flag. Due to their being no
basis in REALITY for anyone to be against same
sex marriage outside of being a homophobe.
Everyone should have the same opportunity to get
divorced as me. Now that’s AMERICA! Luckily, he
does not have a mandate. So this shit should go
away once dumbfucks in my part of the world get over
their homophobia.
Just remember; one Spartan, one riot.
Mark, if you’re going to be a narrow-minded homophobe, at least back it up. Why do you refuse to answer my questions? Do they frighten you? Do you not have them? I fail to understand why you will not provide me with answers to very simple questions. I can only conclude that it is because you have no reasonable answers to them. Or they are over your head. You keep repeating the same thing over and over, like a parrot, so you don’t have to keep saying it. Answer the questions, or admit that you can’t.
sorry to break the news to ya but most people in this country agree with the fact that gays shouldn’t be married. either for institutions, religion, preserving marriage. even ur faithful democrats don’t like it and they don’t like liberals in mass or SF putting their beliefs above laws.
I could not possibly care less what most people say. Is that your best defense? Most people believing something does not make it right. 50 years ago most people thought a black man should not marry a white woman, among other beliefs of that time we no longer subscribe to (save for ignorant fools). You’re gonna have to do better than that bicycle bob.
Stella, if you could read my earlier post I pretty much summed it up. Sorry that you’re gay and you can’t wed. But its not right. It goes against God and what marriage is. Nuff said on it. Get it thru your thick, pink skull.
libs nevr listen. why start now?