In defense of the H8

 As a first time blogger, I like so many, wonder who will even read it. After reading countless blogs I have decided I don't really care who reads it. If someone does and learns something then excellent. If someone does and teaches me something then excellent. Mission accomplished. 

 With that being said I move on to my first topic of discussion. Proposition 8. 

OK hot topic I know, and before you get all defensive for one side or the other let me just say everyone has the right to their own beliefs. This country is diverse and full of opinions and ideals. We will never be able to be 100% in agreement with one another but we can listen to and appreciate views that differ from our own regardless if we agree or not. 

So here are my two cents on the subject. If you feel the need to comment I appreciate it but please allow me to have my opinion as I allow you to have yours. 

   Prop 8 in my opinion was not about the preservation of marriage. It was about one group of oppressed people fighting for their basic human rights and another group of people who have felt oppression in the past reminding the world who is still in charge. It seems to be the nature of human beings who are oppressed to then oppress others to establish their own superiority.

Let us stop deluding ourselves on the principles of which this country was founded. This country, beautiful and wonderful as it is was NOT founded on the teachings of the bible. It was founded by people who wanted to believe and act according to their own principles so much that they were willing to wipe out an entire race of people. They did not succeed but they certainly did do a pretty good job of messing things up. 

   Religions were tolerant only IF you were a Christian and even then it was a NARROW acceptance. Christian groups have been fighting amongst themselves for centuries. How can a group of people who cannot even look past their own differences even begin to have acceptance for others outside of their faith? So much turmoil rages within Christian sects it is amazing that they haven't killed themselves off over time. 

   Those who wish to "defend" marriage claim first that gay marriage is immoral. In the same turn these "Christians" (I will get to why that is in quotations later.) lead far from moral lives. I can say this with certainty because I was raised in a very Christian home. I went to church, seminary, Sunday school the works. Never in my life have I ever found a group of people so willing to disfellowship, gossip and all around speak ill of their neighbors as I did in church. My family wasn't particularly active in my church but at the age of 14 I made sure I was. I went to church often by myself and sometimes with my siblings in tow. The whole time I was trying to listen to the lessons for the day I heard whispers about my family behind my back by the adult members of the congregation. Those in my peer group were even more bold, refusing to let me sit in the same pew as them or saying hateful nasty things about me with the intent of my hearing them. Not very Christian if you ask me yet these people claim to be as true blue dyed in the wool Christians as any other, hence the quotations.

 I did however learn a lot from church. I learned that people are mean and hateful by nature but I also learned how to forgive. I learned that people are selfish and unforgiving which in turn taught me about charity. I learned that people are unwilling to accept anything they perceive to be "different" which in turn taught me how to love. I will forever be grateful for the lessons that I learned both about human nature and how to overcome it. 

If we are to believe the teachings of  Christ we also believe that he teaches love and tolerance as the founding commandment. This commandment is not negotiable.  Love and tolerance means just that, there is no grey area here. If we are going to base denying the right to love freely on the grounds of morality then those casting that ballot against such love best be living perfectly moral lives. This would include honesty in all your dealings, being true to your word, honoring thy mother and thy father, and the whole myriad of other actions that constitute a perfect Christ like life. As Christ said let he who is without sin cast the first stone. 

Arguments have been made against gay marriage because it is against the teachings of God. Are Gods lessons also not to include the part about not judging or the one about loving as he would love? Other arguments state that we must protect our children and give them the best possible home to grow up in. What better home than one that teaches diversity, tolerance and love. So what if the parents are of the same sex who cares as long as there is love in the home? Fears of homosexuality and gay marriages being taught in school as early as second grade are another that arise. Well I went to public school and I never learned about heterosexual marriage why pray tell then would gay marriage suddenly be taught? Besides children that young have no concern with who marries whom all they care about is what is for snack and when is recess? Is teaching our children about diversity and the acceptance of others such a nightmarish thought? Heaven forbid we create a world that allows for tolerance, love and the acceptance of others differences . Who will start the wars once the dividing lines are erased? 

Proposition 8 wasn't about protecting marriage it was about protecting ones right to pass judgement. If proposition 8 were truly about protecting the sanctity of marriage it would have also included a clause to ban divorce. Work that into the law though and I promise you that righteous Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Jews and any other group holding onto this sanctity of marriage thing would have voted NO ON 8. This world is made up of a plethora of belief systems each one unique and beautiful in their own right. We all need to get over our desire to force one another into a mold that makes us comfortable and instead learn to see the world for the beauty and difference it maintains.