Sunday, November 16, 2008

Prop 8 - A reaction to the reaction

Well the election has come and gone. I for one am thrilled for it to be over. Now the government can get back to avoiding work like the rest of us. Something new is happening after this election though. I can't ever remember a time where more discussion of a proposition happened after the election than before.

California had Prop. 8 on the ballot. A constitutional change to state that marriage is only recognized between a man and a woman. OK, that seems a bit odd to have in a state constitution. Dictionary, Encyclopedia- sure. But constitution? Does Pennsylvania have the definition of a cheese steak in their constitution? Is it in the Philadelphia city charter? I know, I know, this is more serious than a sandwich.

Prop. 8 passed. Kind of. It still needs to go back to the courts. The courts that this proposition was trying to overrule get to decide if its valid. (I love government.) In the mean time though, more attention is getting focused on Prop. 8 now than before the election when it really mattered. Some good, but there is also a lot of bad attention too. I understand protests, walks, marches, & sit ins. (Understand is probably the wrong word, accept would be more accurate.) They are the accepted methods passed down from past generations for making your point.

My problem is with the attacks against supporters of Prop. 8. Spray painting "No on 8" on a church is not the brightest way to win support for your cause. It fosters the fear that went into the writing of the proposition in the first place.

I have been a supporter of the California Music Theatre in the past. When I heard a story about Scott Eckern donating money to Prop 8, I admittedly was confused. California Music Theatre always seemed to be a very accepting group. When that story started becoming calls for boycotts I was very disappointed. Not in Scott or CMT, but with everyone "calling for his head". Scott had every right to donate money to whoever he wanted. It was his money. Was there a call out to get someone to educate him? No, they just could not accept that he as someone working in the theater community was not in agreement with them. Scott has made statements of his beliefs and graciously stepped down to not hurt anyone else involved in CMT. I am just amazed that people who are asking for others to be open minded can't be open minded themselves.

Since you have been reading this far I guess you want to know how I feel about the issue. I wish I had something interesting to tell you. I fall into that third category of people that don't really care either way. I want people to have the right to do what they want. Marriage is a religous concept that the government uses. Maybe the government should get out of the marriage game. Make everyone domestic partners. Then you can go to church and get married or or not and still have the same rights. I just want people to think before asking someone else to change their minds. If you can't be accepting of how they think, then try and change their mind. If you don't want to be thought of as freaks and monsters, don't act like freaks and monsters.