Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Vote Love

In four weeks we will go to the ballot box to decide who will get to live in the White House for the next four years. But, just like every election, this is about more than just the big game of musical chairs in the halls of power. Four states across this vast nation of ours are voting on marriage equality referendums. Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington will all have gay marriage on their ballots. Now, back in 2008 when California did the same thing, I was filled with the righteous political passion of a true believer. Educate, inform, get out the vote. I feel those same things now, four years later. But I also feel weary and more than a little angry that we’re still doing this. Not that same-sex marriage is still being debated necessarily. Debate is fine, we have this thing called free speech. But it’s that we still, as a country, think our love – my love – is something to be voted on. In fact, the more I think about it the more furious I become. Rights aren’t a popularity contest. Rights aren’t a campaign. Rights are rights. I shouldn’t have to convince anyone I deserve them, I should just have them. It’s that whole inalienable thing. Alas, we aren’t there yet, as a nation. We’re still tiptoeing on the edges of equality, letting the majority decide for the minority. So, again, we education, inform, and get out the vote. This won’t be the last time. But let it be the beginning to history’s inevitable conclusion. We have the right to marry, and we will have the right one day from coast to coast. Let it be soon. And let no man or woman’s vote be allowed to tear our unions asunder.

On November 6:
In Maine, Vote YES on 1
In Maryland, Vote FOR Question 6
In Minnesota, Vote NO on the Constitutional Amendment
In Washington, Vote APPROVE Referendum 74

For more visit The Four 2012.

p.s. If you like the music that serenades you today, please send some much-deserved iTunes love to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (featuring Mary Lambert).

6 comments:

Sildenafil Citrate said...

This is not the last time, and it should be the history. And let no man or woman’s vote be allowed to tear our unions asunder. Educate, inform, get out the vote

Carmen SanDiego said...

that is gorgeous but I still prefer the commercial for Expedia with Jill and Nikki from The Real L Word season 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThzdsnXeE28

Carmen SanDiego said...

also: Sildenafil Citrate? isn't that Viagra?

Anonymous said...

Thanks Snarker for the encouragement. I live in WA and have been really amazed and touched by the TV ad campaign for Approving R74-several of which have pastors and republicans. My church (mainline protestant) had a forum about R74 on Sunday. 60 people attended and the support and encouragement was amazing. I am hopeful WA will be the first state to affirm marriage equality with a popular vote.

Missy said...

Minnesotan here!

As sad as it makes me that we're even voting on this at all, it makes me even sadder that we aren't one of the states that is voting FOR gay marriage. We're just voting not to completely enshrine bigotry into the constitution (hence the NO! voting instead of the yes voting).

It's crazysauce. I've been campaigning and volunteering with MN United (the vote no amendment opposition) and even if we succeed (and it feels like a huge victory) it doesn't make gay marriage legal.

It is encouraging, however, to see how many people from all walks of life are opposed to this (straight girl volunteer here). The more people are talking about it, the more support we're getting. If you haven't read the Out of Bounds blog posts by (Vikings Player) Chris Kluwe they're really worth a look.

Heather said...

I agree with you 100% percent - I don't believe there were any votes on other civil rights - we shouldn't have to either. I do my best to support and be strong. My honey & I got married in NY last week, and now I'm back in the mid-west where it doesn't count. Just makes me sad.