By Christina Fermin
Politics & Society Columnist
We live in the united States of America, the birthplace of freedom and representative government. While we may enjoy many freedoms and liberties that many other nations around the world do not have, we still have some leaps and bounds to achieve in our society. Believe it or not there are still second class citizens here in this country. Once upon a time those second class citizens were people of color and women, and thanks to the civil rights movement and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 women and people of color are no longer second class citizens. Instead today those second class citizens are the gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered.
Regardless of what your beliefs are our constitution ensures that every citizen has the right to life, liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness. In truth whatever your beliefs are homosexuals are not harming anyone, Jesus never preached against it, and the bible has been translated so many times that the few references in the bible supposedly about homosexuality are most likely mistranslations. The word homosexual was not even invented until the late 1800s due to people’s obsession with labeling things. We like labels because they separate us and put each of us into a category. Screw categories!! People are people and we are all in the same boat, get over it.
This past weekend, the GLBT community achieved a wonderful victory, the New York Senate by a 33-29 vote cleared the way for marriage equality in the one of the largest states in the country. New York, the birthplace of the Stonewall riots became the sixth state in the nation to allow homosexuals to marry, a state with about 42,000 gay couples and a population of more than 19 million people, this is a huge victory for the GLBT community. Just a year ago only 44-46% of Americans approved of gay marriage, today about 53% of Americans support gay marriage and this number keeps growing. Every year as that number climbs, more states will allow for equality.
Just to be clear, the GLBT community is looking for marriage equality, this means they want to be able to get married in town hall, where they can share the same legal benefits that heterosexual couples get. There are 2 ways to get married, through a religious ceremony or civil, town hall style. The GLBT community does not care what institution accepts marriage, religious institutions can remain out of this as they wish, but they should be allowed to marry through government institutions because that right is promised in the constitution. Religions can complain and talk all they want, but in the end, it is the responsibility of the state to care for its citizens and protect small groups of people that are ostracized and discriminated against.
Opponents against marriage equality argue that it will be the moral downfall of society. I beg to differ, with such grandeur issues at hand, I really wish religious folks would put all of that energy into something more threatening to life and freedom. The downfall of society is not homosexuality or marriage equality, but climate change, corruption, pollution, health care, corporate politicians, bankers and greed which are far more dangerous than two men or women getting married. How is love harmful to society? When is love ever wrong? I’m sorry but you cannot group homosexuality with murders, thieves and rapists. There are GLBT people all around us, and we want the same things that any other “normal” family or person wants, the only difference is that walking next to us is someone of the same sex. Now onward to the REAL issues that threaten society!
Peace & Love,
Christina
About the Columnist
With a bachelors degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, Christina Fermin has always cultivated her love for history, politics, sociology, ancient knowledge and teachings, the outdoors, the ocean and the environment. Christina strives to make our world better by helping us all create a new reality and understanding of all taking place here and now.
3 comments:
This is definitely a great victory for the Gay and Lesbian community, but I believe that the tactics should change.
Instead of entrusting the Federal Government with MORE power by making this a federal issue, the fight should be won State by State.
We need to join hands with Libertarians like Ron Paul and make sure this DOES NOT become a Federal Issue because if we as a country decide that the Feds should be the one to enforce equality in Marriage, and the Federal Law supersedes State Laws, then what happens when the winds change and there's different leadership in Washington?
If you've already said that Federal Law supersedes State Law, then it becomes incredibly easy for them to outlaw non traditional Marriage in EVERY state by Fiat.
We don't win more freedom by giving up freedom to some central autocracy. We need to keep this issue in the hands of the States and work to bring more power BACK to the States and less to the Feds.
As this fight has shown, the States are more responsive to the people's needs than Washington could ever be.
I would normally agree with you because the Federal government has way too much power. The GLBT fight has been taken state by state and today there are more states that have outlawed gay marriage (29 via states constitution and 12 via statue) than there are states that have made marriage equality legal.
Florida who in 2008 constitutionally banned same sex marriage and civil unions; Florida who has some of the largest populations of gays and lesbians.
While some states, a whopping 5 recognize gay marriage. The problem today is that even in those 5 states those couples do not get the same federal protections, nor do they get the same federal benefits that straight couples get when married.
With 53% of the population now supporting gay marriage and that number increasing every year DOMA needs to be repealed and the Federal government needs to codify it as they did the civil rights act and women's suffrage which paved the way for equality among blacks and women.
Waiting for the states to allow marriage equality state by state will take a lot more time than the Federal government standing up for the underdogs and mandating that states recognize marriage equality. After all it is the job of the federal government to make sure that all citizens are equal.
Here's the problem.
Right now, America is taking in well over 2.2 Trillion dollars a year, yet this admistration is spending 3.8 Trillion a year. It makes Bush's last budget of 2.7 Trillion look downright CHEAP.
Only 37% of the people are actually in favor of rasing the Debt Limit.
In this climate, it's almost ASSURED that Conservatives will be voted back into power in 2012, and unfortunately with those conservatives will be the people who will be against Marriage for Gays and Lesbians.
As a Libertarian, I agree with the conservatives on the financial issues, but disagree on many of the social issues, but it won't matter. Most will vote with their wallet.
This is why I say that the best bet is to get this done at the State Level, and leave the Federal Government out of this. And if they DO try to get into this, beat them over the head with their own stick.
What about smaller government?
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