my prop 8 rant

ok, so this is more of a broader rant than just about prop 8. prop 8 is, of course, the issue at hand these days as far as [californian] legislation goes. take a step back with me, though, and let's look at the bigger picture. why would ANYONE be against gay marriage? gays aren't, obviously. it really shouldn't affect straight people either. this is similar to an argument i had with my mentor a few months ago: does a person's attitude toward, stance or beliefs on an issue change that issue? no. just because gays wanted to be married doesn't mean that a straight marriage is now a lesser thing. it's still MARRIAGE. they are in a gay marriage; you are in a straight marriage. the fact that they are married does not change the fact that YOU are married, and it does not change your beliefs about marriage.

i personally believe that religous folks should be for gay marriage. after all, there's already domestic partnerships. those folks are an inch away from marriage. there's the stereotypical hedonistic, promiscuous gay lifestyle that marriage may end for some couples. religious folks should be happy about that. besides, the divorce rate for straight folks is so high it's hard to take them seriously when it comes to marriage. (rumor has it divorce rates are higher within the church than without... just sayin'.)
one of the arguments raised by those in favor of Prop 8 is that it 'protects our children.' are we really that concerned, Cali? do you actually know what is going on in your kids' lives? kids are having sex at unbelievably young ages, experimenting with drugs and alcohol at the same time, maybe even sooner, and getting involved in all kinds of great stuff that you probably wouldn't approve of either. whether they are taught that gays have the right to marry or not, they still are going to make their mate choice on their own when they're ready. as it stands, Cali teaches that man-woman pairings are "marriage" and man-man/woman-woman pairings are not. yet there's san fran, the gayest city in the world. if anything, teaching that gay marriage is OK might help kids come to grips with others'--or their own--sexuality, and discourage abuse of gays in the school. (abuse of gays in the rest of the world is another story.)

whether you believe homosexuality is a good lifestyle or not, you have to concede that it's there, and there to stay. i seriously thought we could socially evolve beyond this years ago; seems not. there is an ideal world, where people aren't hated or mistreated for their race, gender, or orientation. it's not this world.

this was not a coherent post, i apologize. i just needed to get it off my chest. thanks.

and, in celebration of love between men, and in protest of Prop 8:

*photos property of http://www.bouska.net/. they're not mine. is that enough to keep me out of legal hot water?