www.newsweek.com/id/229957
Living in California, and as a minister with the authority to sign marriage licenses, I feel very invested in the Prop 8 trial and the struggle for marriage equality that affects so many same sex couples and their families. I have blogged about this issue before, have made a public stand and refuse to sign any marriage license until there is marriage equality in this state. I have also contributed my time and my finances to the cause. For every social justice issue that we face, each of us needs to reflect on our own heart and act in a way that demonstrates our best self - a person of compassion and respect. Each and every one of us is called by our best selves to do whatever it is that we are capable of doing. The marriage equality issue is no exception.
The struggle is difficult and there is fear, anger, and confusion on both sides of the issue. But the bottom line is not a biblical passage taken out of context or a particular religious persuasion. The bottom line is that each and every citizen of this country are afforded fundamental rights by way our our country's consitution. From the article mentioned: "The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution. It is an expression of our desire to create a social partnership, to live and share life's joys and burdens with the person we love, and to form a lasting bond and a social identity. The Supreme Court has said that marriage is a part of the Constitution's protections of liberty, privacy, freedom of association, and spiritual identification. In short, the right to marry helps us to define ourselves and our place in a community. Without it, there can be no true equality under the law."
You can keep an eye on the Prop 8 trial by following the Prop 8 Trial Tracker: http://prop8trialtracker.com/
Social change is never easy work. It never happens overnight and it never happens without some discomfort, frustration, and at least a few tears. But there is joy in change, and I look forward to the day when I can join my sisters and brothers in joyful celebration of marriage equality!
Let me hear from you. I would appreciate reading your comments on the article and this post.
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When I went to the funeral home with my sister's life-partner, she was not allowed to sign any of the legal documents---she was not considered legal family. This woman, who held my sister as she desperately struggled for one last gasp of air before the emphysema took her life, was not permitted to sign the forms. Not family? What a horrendous injustice. I was so embarrassed and angry. It isn't right to deprive a person of the right to marry. I can't have a 'sane' debate with opposers of same-sex marriage because I can't be polite about it. My old pastor had a wonderful saying "ignorance before daylight"..and that is how I feel about folks who presume themselves to have the right to deny marriage to consenting adults who love one another. Ignorance before daylight! Starts early and lasts long.
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