I was walking through the metal detectors of the courthouse today and observed one of the old deputies leaning back in his chair working on a crossword puzzle. As I was unloading all metal objects into the bin he loudly asked the other three deputies working the security checkpoint, “give me an eight letter word for rainbow?” A balding deputy with his gut hanging over his duty belt quickly responded, “Homosexual!” All of them responded in jovial laughter at their buddy’s ten letter joke.
Another day in paradise I thought as I started to put my belt and shoes back on at a nearby bench. I never just let things go, I think readers have figured that out by now. As I was about to leave the checkpoint I looked at the deputy with the puzzle and said, “your word is S-P-E-C-T-R-U-M.” The group of old codgers jointly looked up at me and seemed embarrassed. They realized a queer had been listening and was now schooling them….a queer from the other side of the political spectrum.
It is not a bad day for me though, don’t get the wrong opinion. Comments like the aforementioned are common place in my life…the norm, not the exception. Today is a good day. The federal judge in California that ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional lifted the stay on gay marriages in that state, they can resume next week. The minority group, in which I am a member, the 18,000 legally married queers in California is going to grow at a rapid pace. It is indeed a good day.
Alveda King, the niece of one of my heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr., got my attention this week when she said allowing gay people the right to legally marry would cause “genocide.” “It’s been statistically proven that … [marriage] guarantees the continuity of the generations. We don’t want genocide, we don’t want to destroy the sacred institution of marriage,” said Ms. King. Alveda is in a good gene pool, I just think she is destined to spend her life in the shallow end with floaters on her arms.
Ben Quayle joined Alveda this week in grabbing press and attention for spewing stupidity and having a famous lineage. Dan’s little potatoe head did him proud declaring “President Obama is the worst president ever!” Dan is running for Congress and wants the citizens of Arizona to vote for him. Reflecting on the dry-hate that has come out of that state this year, they might very well do that! Arizona, this spud is for you!
My examples prove that both Democrats and Republicans can be stupid and inadequate in whatever position they are trying to espouse.
My prime example of this is the White House’s response to the ruling on the Perry v. Schwarzenegger case when the final ruling was released. The White House Press Secretary stated that the President supported the ruling that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional, but he still stood by his position first outlined in his run for office….he is opposed to gay marriage.
How does that compute? Obama is a scholar, an ex-Con Law professor!
He can’t have it both ways!!! I never thought in my life we would have a sitting President flat-out verbalize that he didn’t believe a faction of the population should have equal protection under the law. If you were to have told me it would be true and further the President in question would be black, I would have called you crazy!!
I now think that the Perry case will be upheld in the 9th Circuit in California and I further believe the US Supreme Court will grant review. I have a belief in my heart that justice will prevail and a decision will be rendered that will give queers EQUAL protection under the 14th Amendment…thus giving us the right to marry in any state in the union.
I want to believe in this great union of America. I want to believe I can be more than a second-class citizen. I want to believe I can have the same right as a convicted felon, Britney Spears, Kate Gosselin, and all those Mormons that contributed millions to their campaign of hate in California. I don’t want to practice polygamy or be like Elizabeth Taylor and marry 8 times. I just want one marriage for my lifetime, one legal marriage.
I don’t know where I will be the day the decision comes down from the Supremes on this issue, but I will let you in on one thing. If they decide against us, if they go the way of hate and discrimination. If they politicize the decision and forget their judiciary role in our system of government, as they did in Gore v. Bush, it will be more than I can take. I might have to re-think my status and turn in my second-class citizen papers for greener pastures.
I hope the nine members of the US Supreme Court do the right thing….or at least five of them. Five votes for five letters sounds pretty good to me.
Dyke in the Heart of Texas 
You are so gracious. You should have either kicked that deputies ass or dressed him down good. Such restraint and poise! Our day will come. And this time when you marry, I expect an invitation. Even if you don’t know me….
Linda and I can “renew” our vows, ….we are already legally married. (And you will be invited)
And I am proud to have her as a sister-in-law! Love you guys. Junene
Igornant, selfish people appall me, but when they are spouting their ignorance in the name of Jesus, I’m totally stymied. I’m totally disappointed in our President; you know in his heart he can’t feel that all citizens aren’t entitled to equal treatment. Can he? Surely he’s trying to appeal to the igornant masses. (I’m just trying to understand a man who should be the world’s most tolerant!!) Don’t you wish igornance were painful? Just an annoying pain somewhere in your body that won’t go away until you LEARN….
PS, Julya…I’m enamoured w/your writing skills…xxxooo
I love your posts. I am too puzzled by Obama’s comments and stance. Who knows why people chose to be ignorant. My best friend and her wife put it this way, being gay is not about sex, it’s about who you fall in love with. 🙂
Thanks Lea. The bottom line on homosexuality is that it is genetic. I cannot change my status anymore than a heterosexual can…..I have said it before, it is as much a part of me as being green-eyed. America has to decide if they are going to have a second-class group of citizens based on their genetic map. The danger in that is….what is next? All brown-eyed people are inferior?? People won’t give a crap until they themselves find out they are in the discriminated minority….I used to think that if someone loved you they would understand, but my own family disproves that theory.
Bravo my friend. No one could make those points as elegantly as you just did. My hat is off to you.
What OBAMA and Alveda King prove is you do not become more human and less of a homophobe just because your skin is a shade darker and you were discriminated against !
Not just the Religious Rightwing REDNECK whites hate the GLBT community and see them as secondclass citizens !!Even here in South Africa some of the most vehement ANTI-GAY people are ANC freedom fighters !!
Julya ~ You and your writing are so freakin’ inspirational. Should you move to California and ever decide that you would like to put your amazing words and sharp wit to work as a politician, you have my vote – ALL my votes, in fact!!