Ocean Dreamer

I’ve been spending a lot of time over the past couple of days reading some of my favorite blogs.  I am so deeply disappointed over CA’s passage of prop 8 (and the bans in FL, AZ, and AR, though those were less shocking), so much so that I really couldn’t write anything on here about it.  It seems that many of my favorite bloggers felt the same – we have all been in a state of shock and mourning, and trying to put those thoughts into words to write on here was too challenging for me.  It still is.  I will post a bit here, however.

I had a lot of hope in California.  Quite simply, I really can’t understand how anyone could vote to take away rights from a group of people *after they had already been recognized.*  As far as I know, this is the first time in the history of our country that that has happened and, on top of everything else, it sets a dangerous precedent for the rights of all minority groups.  Whose rights will be taken away next?

It seems to me that leaving decisions related to civil rights for minority groups up to the whim of a majority of voters creates an inherently unequal system where the rights of the minority group are at increased risk (this is what de Toqueville referred to as the tyranny of the majority.)  Especially when it comes to civil rights for minority groups, there are times when decisions should be made by a legislature that is prepared to make potentially unpopular yet just decisions.  That did not happen in this case.

The various queer community groups are amazing in their efforts to bring us together.  And it seems to be working.  Folks are organizing again and fighting back.  And Melissa Etheridge wrote a beautiful post about her reaction and her subsequent decision not to pay her taxes: “You Can Forget My Taxes.”  Here’s a snippet of her post:

Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.

I do believe that every setback has a silver lining, and in this case it seems it has helped bring our community closer together.  I’ve talked with several other Seattle folks who were sure prop 8 would fail and who now regret not putting more time, energy, or money into it.  Although I did give money myself, I also meant to talk to my family about donating, but with school and everything, I didn’t get around to it.  Now, though, folks are feeling the urge to get more involved.  It would be so wonderful if out of this horrible mess of crap there grew an even more vibrant, powerful, and prideful queer movement.

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