Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyFebruary 17th, 2012
After two years battling in the courts, those who put their signature on the line to subject their neighbors’ rights to public refutation are known.
For two years the anti-gay movement has argued in the courts that those who stand up for morality and let their voice be heard for righteousness and put their reputation behind their values should remain anonymous lest they be seen, recognized and have their reputation impacted by their action. Their position was that they should be entitled to work to eliminate the rights of gay people to the laws that impact how businesses deal with couples, but that it should be done in secret lest it hurt their business. They argued that they were right to seek to destabilize gay families, but that having it be known would unfairly destabilize their families. They argued that it was their Christian duty to condemn abominable sinners who corrupt youth and are all pedophiles who die at age 42 anyway, but that if it were to get out that they signed the petition that someone might call them a bigot! Right there in the grocery store! A bigot! And so they are entitled to the very extra-special right to be exempt of all consequences that come from advocating for mistreatment of gay people.
Okay, those weren’t their exact arguments, but honestly they also aren’t that far off.
But unable to convince courts that you should be entitled to secrecy lest the victims of your animus become offended, and unable to drag this any further in court, the folks who put Referendum 71 on the ballot lost. And since the data was not in the physical possession of the National Organization for Marriage (who would simply refuse to provide it) finally the names of the signatories have been made public.
Be nice, people. We win no battles by calling people names or threatening them; that only fuels their absurd claims. (“I hope you die a horrible death and rot in Hell” only becomes a “death threat” in the hands of anti-gay activists looking for “evidence” that Tey Gheys are violent and intolerant.)
But if you see someone you know, someone who likes you and doesn’t want to do you harm, this might be an opportunity to talk to them in measured and preplanned terms about how the effort to exclude you from the promises in your constitution hurts and diminishes you. Let them know that you are aware they didn’t mean to insult you personally, but when they take steps to carve out exceptions and say that equality is for everyone but people like you that it’s hard not to take it personally. It impacts you as a person.
And maybe, just maybe, this time around Aunt Thelma, can your love and duty to your niece be stronger than your love and duty to the politics of your priest? He’ll get over it, it doesn’t impact his life in the slightest. But you, … well, if she thinks so little of you that she cares more for her pastor’s approval than the real harm done in your life, then maybe this is good-bye.
Without anger.
Lovingly.
Please.
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Larry
February 17th, 2012
My honest question is this: Will the release of these names have any affect on current/future efforts to put civil rights up for a vote? Will people be less willing to sign these petitions if they know their names will be made public?
PC
February 17th, 2012
Here’s the main part of a message I sent my cousin who signed the initiative:
“Let me share with you the story of someone I work with and then ask yourself if you would like to be treated that way. She used up all of her sick leave taking care of her sick partner of 15 years. After her partner died, my coworker was told she had to work the next day or she would be fired. You see, bereavement leave was not available for gays and lesbians because we could not officially marry or, at the time, get domestic partnerships. My co-worker quit her job because she was too emotionally devastated to go to work the day after.
How would you feel if you were told you had to go to work the day after [name removed] died or be fired from your job? How would you feel if you were told the reason is because you do not deserve the same rights and privileges everyone else in society gets? Why do you think it is ok for us not to be able to get bereavement leave when our partners of many years die but you think you should receive it?
Jesus taught the Golden Rule. He did not put “unless” statements at the end of it.”
Reed
February 18th, 2012
Gave up nice for Lent one year and haven’t taken it up again.
StraightGrandmother
February 18th, 2012
PC very moving comment. Thx
Fact-Check
February 18th, 2012
Does or will a list like this ever exist for Prop 8 in CA?
Richard Rush
February 18th, 2012
Well, well, well . . . Although I live on the east coast, one of my cousins who lives in Washington signed the petition. Her name is Cathy Steinhorst.
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