5/9/12

First things first

First, they took away the rights of the Jews and the Gays and the Gypsies.  They took away their right to own property, live where they wanted.  They made them lesser than other Germans. 

As soon as they became lesser citizens, with fewer rights, it became much easier to move them, just like the whites of the racist south confined the blacks, to shacks in slums of poverty. 

Once you make one group lesser, then it’s easy to move them to slums and then camps and then ovens or lynchings. 

Don’t scoff.  Who knows what the future holds.  A Dick Santorum could actually be elected president and then who knows what could have happened.  Who knows. 

First, they came for the communists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Martin Neimoller

Yesterday, NC became the 31st state to ban gay marriage.  And, if that wasn’t slap in the face enough, to also make civil union illegal. 

NYTimes-gay-marriage-cousins-graphic

Okay, that’s all I have to say except one last thought.  If gays will screw up marriage for straight people, why is divorce legal???  And, how long will it stay that way?

 

Luv ‘ya.  You know I do.  Be sure to vote when it’s your time.

Lane

11 comments:

BlueRidge Boomer said...

I live in NC and did not vote for this...here in the Bible Belt, we could not get the older white generation to understand this was a civil rights issue ...not a marriage issue...!!Maybe they'll understand when their grand children start losing insurance and legal protection, cause mom and dad are not married..!!
Love your quilts...Linda

Kathleen said...

Hey, Lane. Hugs.
The other part of all this that gets me nuts is the salary inequity - people with families get insurance and other benefits for their families at a cut rate from their jobs, while gays or singles do not - that is salary inequity, plain and simple. Somehow this country is still stuck on the 'father as breadwinner" model, and the definition of 'family' is from 1940 and Leave it to Beaver.

There are lots and lots of people who respect you, your relationship, and your family. Shame they did not vote yesterday in NC.

birdmommy said...

I'm still boggled about the fact that this is a state by state issue. In Canada individual provinces didn't get to choose if they were for or against gay marriage - it was a federal issue, and that was an immense help in allowing the law to proceed smoothly. And as I've said before, Canada has yet to be struck from the face of the earth for our sins, people have yet to start marrying dogs, etc. etc.

I suspect that opposition to gay marriage/civil unions and lack of access to 'socialized medicine' are related. I wonder if there are some powerful lobby groups behind the scenes that are working against gay marriage simply to avoid having to shoulder the huge expense of family health coverage for gays and others who aren't 'married married'.

TL;DR - I bet that countries that provide health care to all citizens are a lot less worked up about who marries who.

Tanit-Isis said...

Shit. I really was hoping that wouldn't pass, and not just because I'm in a "civil union" myself (not that I'm anywhere near NC).

Ugh.

Impera Magna said...

I'm in NC...wish the outcome would have been different... *sigh*

Coloradolady said...

well.....take a look at this...just saw it on my facebook...don't throw in the towel just yet!! Of course, there is more work to be done, and this won't likely change everything overnight.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/us-world/#Obama-Announces-Support-for-Gay-Marriage

Kathleen said...

The Wilmington, NC paper reports on a voting precince in a church where there was a big hullabaloo because the church put up a sign very prominently, against gay marriage... turned out the sign was legal since it was sufficient feet away from the polling area... but many were upset... at the end of the day, however - that polling place voted AGAINST banning gay marriage !!! So go figure. I just wish people would take care of their OWN business - I'm against gay marriage for ME, cause I'm not gay... I certainly don't want to be forced to marry a woman... So, good grief, I have to give someone else the same right - I have no business making the decision about marriage for anyone but my own self... others must decide for themselves who they should marry.

Shay said...

I really don't understand the opposition to gay marriage. How can union be wrong when it's about two people who love and care for one another?

Shevvy said...

Here the civil union which came in a few years ago isn't quite the same as marriage.

I have to admit I don't really understand the difference but now they are talking about full gay marriage and despite the fact we already have civil partnerships there are still fuckwit bleating about it being wrong.

These will be the same people moaning about the breakdown of family and the high divorce rate. Surely then two people making a legal commitment together has to be better than them not committing from their point of view?

The more I read and hear, the more I think it boils down to a bunch of misery guts totally afraid of sex in any form or combination.

lw said...

If it were up to me, nothing would stand in the way of people who love each other and want to make a lifetime commitment in the eyes of the world. I continue to vote for love and equality.

Vesuviusmama said...

My husband and I got ourselves all riled up that night, railing against the inequity of it all. I am heartened to see so many of your readers understanding that it is a civil rights issue. When will we learn???