Mike Solan's Personal Blog

Prop 8 proves that America is not as free as people here like to think. Am I gay? No. So does prop 8 affect me? Yes. Prop 8 accomplished one of the worst things in recent U.S. history. The proposition read out on the electronic polls a simple sentance to sum it up, along the lines of 'Eliminates the right of same sex couples to marry. Jesus effing Christ, the majority of people voted to eliminate the rights of a minority group that is different from them? Are we devolving? Is gay the new black? We vote in a black president and vote out rights for a different minority. For humanity's sake, I sure hope that most of the supporters were simplistic idiots rather than an educated society that not only was willing to discriminate, but even went to great lengths to accomplish discrimination.
I think I can safely assume all supporters of prop 8 are straight. If not, then they should probably set up an appointment with a psychiatrist or put the bong down. So if two men married or two women married, how would it harm the straight people? I am absolutely perplexed.
-Would churches lose their tax status or have to perform gay weddings? No, a church can marry or refuse any couple it wishes.
-Do gay people already have the same rights as straight people with civil unions? No, obviously civil unions aren't the same as marriages, or gay people wouldn't be upset about losing the right to marry. Duh. American citizens tried this excuse before. It was something along the lines of claiming segregated drinking fountains, bus seats, and restraunts for black people was 'seperate but equal.'
-Will schools teach about homosexuality or will horrible things happen if gays are allowed to marry? No, many of you seem to forget that gay marriage was legal for some time, and that this law was trying to ban it. So essentially, prop 8 supporters who claimed the sky would fall if gay marriage is allowed must not have researched their opinion too well.
-Does gay marriage threaten the value of all marriages? How stupid are the people who claimed this? Do they think that if gay marriage is allowed then straight marriage will be banned? if two gay people you dont even know get married a hundred miles away, do you love your spouse any less? Do you feel that your marriage no longer holds the significance it once did? Well I hate to break the news buddy, but your marital problems reside completely with you. If you feel that the private action of two people you never met and will probably never know somehow damaged your marriage, then you are simply scapegoating to avoid facing the fact that you have marital problems.
-Is gay marriage detrimental to families? No, and all those signs that said so really confused me. If a guy wants to marry another guy, he is clearly gay to the point of no return, whether he actually marries or not. Banning gay marriage is not going to somehow create families. So if it doesn't create families, yet supporters of 8 claim it is a family issue, then that must mean gay marriage hurts existing families, right? Nope, I am pretty sure a gay person isn't going to harass your children or mug your parents just because they can marry.
-If gays are allowed to marry, then do child molesters automatically have the right to marry children, or will gay people enact some sort of super secret hidden agenda to allow such a thing to happen? Now where the hell did people get this idea? Just because America has a 'freedom of religion' doesn't mean people are free to practice human sacrifices, cannibalism, rape, polygamy or other acts that have roots in different religions. Why? Because there are laws against such acts. And let me explain what I am getting at bluntly, for all the idiots out there who believed this: There are laws against molesting children! I find this ironically amusing, because the Morman vote had a huge effect on passing this bill and the Morman church used this hogwash excuse repeatedly that if gays can marry then criminals like child molesters can marry. I'm sorry, but remind me again what religion promotes polygamy with underage brides. Umm, do I sense a hint of hypocrasy around here?
-Is marriage somehow universally and naturally defined as male and female, and you are all just trying to protect us from ourselves? Spare me your rightousness, because if straight is the natural order of things then in time the issue will just work itself out, without the need to fuss.
-Is gay marriage against God's will? Well, not all people believe in your god to begin with. But assuming God exists and is against gay marriage, he would clearly also be against gay sex. So the gay person who is at the point of wanting to get married is already living in sin, and going to hell whether he/she marries or not. It makes no religious difference to the gay couple, nor to the straight couple.
-Is gay marriage harmful to religion? Of course not. Your religion isn't everyones religion. Many people believe many different things, and we generally respect other peoples rights to choose their belief. We have just as much right to impose our religious beliefs on others as, say muslims, have a right to enforce Islam worldwide. Did that statement offend you? Then you are a hypocrite. If you don't want a different religion governing your life, then don't try to use your religion to govern other people's lives. If you think they will go to hell, then that is their choice and risk to take. Anyways, as many mainstream religions preach, judging others is not your job. For those christians and catholics out there, you know not to cast stones and you know that only God can judge a man, so if you try to judge others in the name of God, you are essentially sinning, are you not?
-Are religious views a valid argument against gay marriage? Absolutely not! You see, there's this little thing known as seperation of church and state, and it is one of the backbones of the American government and way of life. If you think that religious views should have a place in deciding on laws, then start looking for a new country to live in. In fact, marriage itself was a religious matter before a government matter, so assuming the two gay lovers were of age and consenting, the government shouldn't even have a say in the matter. as long as there is a church or courthouse willing to marry gay people, it is fundamentally wrong to deny them such rights.


So are there any more pro-8 arguments I missed? I would love to hear logical and valid arguments. If you are too simple minded to realise by now that gay people want marriage for the respect and emotional significance rather than to slowly destroy marriage from the inside, then there is no hope for you. If you still subscribe to the false beliefs mentioned above, then unfortunately I am unable to hold any respect for you as a compassionate, fellow human being. Revoking peoples rights should be a rare, well thought out process with great reason and proof. Gays have been legally marrying for a while, and society isn't falling apart, nor are child molesters legally marrying children, nor are churches forced to marry gays and losing tax status, nor is gay marriage being taught in school, nor has God come down and destroyed us all. They married when they felt the time was right, and aside from Ellen Degeneres, they kept it private or low profile. They aren't trying to convert your kids, nor are they trying to undermine your religion. their ability to marry does not reduce the significance of your marriage, and if you believe it does then your marriage is not based on love, it is based on living the social norm and fearing people different than you.

If you are married or in love, just try to imagine if other people stripped you of your rights to express that love in marriage. You wouldn't want a civil union, the 'settling for less' way to express your love and commitment. Imagine how you would feel on a daily basis knowing that the majority of people you have not and will not ever meet won't let you live 'happily ever after'? It would be disheartening, depressing, and you would lose your faith n humanity. At that point in your relationship, you would have two choices. The first choice is to settle for less, accept the discrimination, and live life knowing that as a minority you do not have the same human rights as others. Your second choice is to fight and protest it, and to stand up for yourself in the face of discrimination, reguardless of how futile the fight may be. So whether you tolerate gay marriage or not, can you really blame the gay community for protesting the passage of this law?

Well, I finally got this website back online. Who knows, maybe I'll actually keep up with the blogging and the maintenance this time...