Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Judge Strikes Down Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Discrimination, in all of its ugly forms, is wrong and for same-sex couples in California, it's unconstitutional!

US District Judge Walker found today that Proposition 8 - which essentially banned same-sex marriage in California - was unconstitutional. The day Prop 8 passed, I became utterly ashamed of my state. Today, I am glad that reason, justice and fairness prevailed. This issue will go to the Supreme Court, no doubt, and I am ever hopeful the land's highest court feels the same way as Judge Walker.

I don't care how you feel about homosexuality or same sex marriage or the institution of marriage in general. I only ask: Do you want to be part of a generation, an era, that issues the same arguments and rhetoric spewed forth to rationalize slavery and oppression of women as second class citizens? Do we really want our grandchildren pondering why on earth their grandparents made such grievous, prejudicial errors?

I don't, and I hope most of you don't either. And if you own a Pit Bull, you have a small inkling what it is like to face prejudice, to face ugly stares and invectives. You know that walking through Denver with your Pit Bull could kill your dog and put you in jail. You know what people assume when they find out you have a Pit Bull. You know that you are not allowed equal access to insurance policies and it's almost impossible to find rental units. In a small way, you understand. And I hope, with that understanding, comes compassion for same sex couples who wanted the simple right to marry...and complete outrage that they were denied that by Californian voters.

May they be vindicated.

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