Apparently, there are some upset folks in and around DC.
A Rev. Anthony Evans was even bold enough to say that he would "use the full power of the black church" to derail civil marriage equality in the city. First, Evans is crazy to think that he can actually speak for the whole of the black church. Even in my past posts about the church, I was never silly enough to criticize the whole of the institution. Second, Evans might want to do a quick assessment of his membership just to make sure he can even speak definitively about his own congregants; there may be some of his member praying that this bill will move along just fine. Third, I am so through with this notion that a battle over a secular issue is couched as "God's war." This is, has been, and will remain a civil and secular issue. Churches can marry whom they see fit, and discriminate as they please. It really isn't that difficult a concept to understand.
The Archdiocese of Washington is trying to sort out its position in the wake of the passing of civil marriage equality in the city, and the City Council was quite right not to be bullied by the Church on this issue. The Church has a clear way forward, if it wants to avoid any issue with the city: work with Catholics solely. It shouldn't need government funding, and by not taking the funding, the Church actually is better able to maintain its autonomy and its constitutionally protected freedoms. Works for me.
Then there is the random Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, from Utah vowing to stop marriage here in the Washington. Might I suggest that the Congressman focus on the needs of his actual district, and leave the District alone. We are more than capable of making our own decisions for our city.
I am still amazed that the people in this city, particularly some of the black folks in this city, want to put a civil rights issue (and in DC, gay rights is a civil rights issue) up to a popular vote. I am confident that these same folks would be calling for Armageddon if something similar were proposed that affected black people directly. Their unwillingness even to consider the humanity of the DC GLBT community, regardless of color, is astounding. And the assumption that black folks in DC will rise up en masse to hold at bay "the gay menace" is equally delusional.
I remain hopeful that civil marriage equality will come to my city in 2010, and Washington will be an even more welcoming place for all. See, there really is nothing to be upset about.
1 comment:
Free, you are on target here--
"I am still amazed that the people in this city, particularly some of the black folks in this city, want to put a civil rights issue (and in DC, gay rights is a civil rights issue) up to a popular vote."
Human rights are not a gift given by government or by a vote of the people.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Endowed by their Creator. Jefferson was not making a religious statement here, he was simply saying that certain rights are ours by birth. He was talking about what the Enlightenment thinkers referred to as "natural rights."
It may seem like a meaningless semantic point, but it strikes me as a frame of mind that is important. Gay folks already have the right to be married. We already have the right to equal protection under law.
We don't need to plead or beg for our rights, what we need to do is demand that our society recognize our rights.
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