The Godfather

My godfather is a wonderful man.  We’ve always considered him our uncle because he and my mom were so close.  They’ve known each other and been friends for almost fifty years.  That is amazing.  When we were growing up, he was always so good to us.  We have a lot of fond memories of playing kick-the-can in his backyard, his Christmas Eve parties, and probably the most famous memory of going to the beach and picking up a giant jar full of beetles (later released).  When I got married, it was my godfather who walked me down the aisle, and I couldn’t have been more honored when he did. 

Today I am going to cast my vote, in his honor, and vote to approve Ref. 71, which will maintain gay rights in our state.  It is ridiculous that we even have to vote on something so simple as equality and human rights in this day and age, but unfortunately we do, so I will.  There are people who don’t agree with the gay lifestyle.  That is their right.  But they shouldn’t have the opportunity to try to unjustly keep others from living their lives in freedom.  If you aren’t gay, you don’t have to be gay.  It is that simple.  No one is going to force their lifestyle on you.  Gay rights are not “special” right… they are human rights. 

This same battle has been going on for over thirty years.  Society hasn’t progressed very far.  The same arguments against gay rights have resurfaced, and the level of intolerance has reared its ugly head again. 

It scares me that the people who are supposedly “for the family” are acting like they are the moral dictators who get to decide what is right and who is wrong.  What if they suddenly decide that single hetero couples shouldn’t have rights?  Or what about divorced people?  What if they decided that mixed-race couples shouldn’t be allowed to marry (still happens in some places in our country)?  What about people who’ve had affairs? What about the rights of single people with kids?  What about couples who get married and decide they don’t want to have kids?  Will they be next?  When will the craziness end? 

It will end when people decide that they aren’t going to live in fear of a lifestyle different from their own.  It will end when people use common sense and realize that who someone else chooses to love really has no impact on their way of life.  It will end when people vote.  Vote for human rights.  Do it now.  Do it today.  Do it before it is too late. Vote.