When you read about North Carolina this morning, please keep a few things in mind.
Not everyone in North Carolina was for this decision, and not only gays were harmed by it. I'm proud of my friends in North Carolina who fought hard against this amendment, and I feel for all of the couples LGBT and straight who will be impacted by it.
Christians against gays, who do you think is more likely to tempt you to support and rally hatred? Jesus or Satan?
And where do you think hatred will get you?
In North Carolina, LGBT folks can't marry but cousins can. No, it's true. Why is cousin marriage legal in more states than gay marriage? I think that's really sad.
The marriage equality movement is an opportunity to defend and champion love. Love is always the just cause, always the most noble. In your lifetime, whether you're gay or straight, you could take up the fight and defend love. All the best stories ask for heroes in times when love is threatened. Sometimes it's on a grand scale, like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Sometimes it's only two people, like the Princess Bride. Whatever its scope, be it countries or couples, in these tales when love is threatened there are always people who rise up and save it.
We watch all these movies, read these all books, that teach us to be heroes. What's it all for if we miss an opportunity to use our voices when real people are denied the right to love whom they choose? Now it's your moment to speak up against injustice, wherever you live. Defend folks in love everywhere.
Protect love. The Avengers aren't going to save us anytime soon, but you can be an actual hero in real life when you stand up for others. Choose love, choose empathy, and don't just sit there quietly within your choice. Whatever talents you have, use them to the best of your ability to speak out and raise awareness. Especially if you're creative. Artists, writers, and composers have a responsibility to lend a voice to the feelings other folks have a hard time putting into words. If you're not one of those, are you loud? Are you funny? Get in a crowd, post a Photoshop, make a sign--make the difference. Whatever your inner superpower is, there has to be something you can do to help!
And the most important thing to remember today:
Love always wins out. It's just a matter of time. Prejudiced folks can't even make the effort to open their hearts; eventually their efforts will prove just as weak. And like our heroes in the movies Gandalf, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Professor X, civil rights movements have always had the best people. Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk, to name a few.
It may also literally be a matter of time. Polls usually indicate that younger voters are in support of gay rights. We really might be waiting out the older, cranky generation. I like those odds.
Love will win out over hate. Love is stronger. This amendment had a depressing outcome; but eventually no matter how many set backs are endured, love beats hate in all the great stories.
Not everyone in North Carolina was for this decision, and not only gays were harmed by it. I'm proud of my friends in North Carolina who fought hard against this amendment, and I feel for all of the couples LGBT and straight who will be impacted by it.
Christians against gays, who do you think is more likely to tempt you to support and rally hatred? Jesus or Satan?
And where do you think hatred will get you?
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| A cartoon I did on the subject back in 2009 |
In North Carolina, LGBT folks can't marry but cousins can. No, it's true. Why is cousin marriage legal in more states than gay marriage? I think that's really sad.
 |
| This is what happens when cousins reproduce. (Actual intersection in Garner, NC). ...They're not even spelled right. |
The marriage equality movement is an opportunity to defend and champion love. Love is always the just cause, always the most noble. In your lifetime, whether you're gay or straight, you could take up the fight and defend love. All the best stories ask for heroes in times when love is threatened. Sometimes it's on a grand scale, like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Sometimes it's only two people, like the Princess Bride. Whatever its scope, be it countries or couples, in these tales when love is threatened there are always people who rise up and save it.
We watch all these movies, read these all books, that teach us to be heroes. What's it all for if we miss an opportunity to use our voices when real people are denied the right to love whom they choose? Now it's your moment to speak up against injustice, wherever you live. Defend folks in love everywhere.
Protect love. The Avengers aren't going to save us anytime soon, but you can be an actual hero in real life when you stand up for others. Choose love, choose empathy, and don't just sit there quietly within your choice. Whatever talents you have, use them to the best of your ability to speak out and raise awareness. Especially if you're creative. Artists, writers, and composers have a responsibility to lend a voice to the feelings other folks have a hard time putting into words. If you're not one of those, are you loud? Are you funny? Get in a crowd, post a Photoshop, make a sign--make the difference. Whatever your inner superpower is, there has to be something you can do to help!
 |
| See? Gandalf gets it. |
And the most important thing to remember today:
Love always wins out. It's just a matter of time. Prejudiced folks can't even make the effort to open their hearts; eventually their efforts will prove just as weak. And like our heroes in the movies Gandalf, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Professor X, civil rights movements have always had the best people. Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk, to name a few.
It may also literally be a matter of time. Polls usually indicate that younger voters are in support of gay rights. We really might be waiting out the older, cranky generation. I like those odds.
Love will win out over hate. Love is stronger. This amendment had a depressing outcome; but eventually no matter how many set backs are endured, love beats hate in all the great stories.
 |
| Gandalf's not the only one who gets it. |
Thanks for posting this... I am feeling quite bitter this morning after seeing how well it passed and again, it just proves to me how cold some people really can be and it depresses me that some of the "older generation" just don't get it. But your timely reminder of what is REALLY at stake here helps to ease the anger a bit! :)
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