The Worst Decision Is Often No Decision
"Welcome aboard. Please feel free to sit in the middle of the bus."
A co-worker was congratulating all the gays on the floor yesterday when news broke that New Jersey's Supreme Court had ruled discrimination against same sex couples was illegal. For those who haven't read about it, the court stopped short of saying same-sex couples could marry. It did tell the state it has 180 days to enact legislation that legalizes either same-sex marriages or civil unions.
I told him it was no great accomplishment. He seemed stunned that I was not elated about a court decision that gave gays and lesbians 50% of what we are legally entitled to. I told him it was like being told we could now sit in the middle of the bus (a line he used in his own blog).
True, the New Jersey court went further than many others, and certainly showed some understanding of fundamental civil rights in saying discrimination is illegal. But by not immediately allowing full marriage rights, the court wussed out.
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone honestly believes the New Jersey state legislature is going to approve same sex marriage for the Garden State. Even though it is the right thing to do, and even though treating 10% of the population as second class citizens is clearly the wrong thing to do, doing the right thing is rarely the popular decision in government these days.
For years I have been saying it is time to start withholding our taxes. If they want to cut our rights by 50% or 60% or 80%, then I want them to cut my taxes by the same percentage. I don't see anyone trying to relieve my tax burden, even though they want to deny me basic civil rights. They don't want gays to marry. Some don't want gays to adopt. Others want to be able to keep gays out of housing or jobs. Yet nobody has suggested we shouldn't continue to pay school taxes, even when we have no children in school. Nobody is willing to give us a break on taxes that fund domestic violence programs, after school programs, unemployment programs or urban renewal, even though conservatives want gays deemed unworthy and ineligible.
This is the definition of hypocrisy.
None of this is new. None of it is really news. None of it is likely to change until change is forced in the streets of America.
It is coming. Not today... not tomorrow... probably not next week, next month or next year. But within a generation it will happen. An ugly confrontation is coming. With it will be change. It will have taken the better part of a century and in the end America will be better for it.
But the question remains... Why, in a nation founded on the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, are human repression and hatred the way we are forced to lead our lives?
A co-worker was congratulating all the gays on the floor yesterday when news broke that New Jersey's Supreme Court had ruled discrimination against same sex couples was illegal. For those who haven't read about it, the court stopped short of saying same-sex couples could marry. It did tell the state it has 180 days to enact legislation that legalizes either same-sex marriages or civil unions.
I told him it was no great accomplishment. He seemed stunned that I was not elated about a court decision that gave gays and lesbians 50% of what we are legally entitled to. I told him it was like being told we could now sit in the middle of the bus (a line he used in his own blog).
True, the New Jersey court went further than many others, and certainly showed some understanding of fundamental civil rights in saying discrimination is illegal. But by not immediately allowing full marriage rights, the court wussed out.
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone honestly believes the New Jersey state legislature is going to approve same sex marriage for the Garden State. Even though it is the right thing to do, and even though treating 10% of the population as second class citizens is clearly the wrong thing to do, doing the right thing is rarely the popular decision in government these days.
For years I have been saying it is time to start withholding our taxes. If they want to cut our rights by 50% or 60% or 80%, then I want them to cut my taxes by the same percentage. I don't see anyone trying to relieve my tax burden, even though they want to deny me basic civil rights. They don't want gays to marry. Some don't want gays to adopt. Others want to be able to keep gays out of housing or jobs. Yet nobody has suggested we shouldn't continue to pay school taxes, even when we have no children in school. Nobody is willing to give us a break on taxes that fund domestic violence programs, after school programs, unemployment programs or urban renewal, even though conservatives want gays deemed unworthy and ineligible.
This is the definition of hypocrisy.
None of this is new. None of it is really news. None of it is likely to change until change is forced in the streets of America.
It is coming. Not today... not tomorrow... probably not next week, next month or next year. But within a generation it will happen. An ugly confrontation is coming. With it will be change. It will have taken the better part of a century and in the end America will be better for it.
But the question remains... Why, in a nation founded on the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, are human repression and hatred the way we are forced to lead our lives?
posted by Bill at
2:59 PM
1 Comments:
i really appreciate your blog; thsnk you! especially the statement "the worst decision is often no decision". it's good to be reminded.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home