I know I’m kind of behind on commenting about the passing of Proposition 8 in California. That’s because there is just so much to say and I’ve been trying to sort through all my thoughts on the subject. To put them all in one post would be overwhelming. So there will probably be a few posts on the subject.
The passing of Proposition 8 is a tough blow to the movement for equality in this country. A blow a lot of people didn’t think would happen. I think a lot of people got caught up in thinking that if people voted for Obama they would automatically vote against Proposition 8. Ultimately that kind of thinking lead to people falling asleep on the job. Luckily people didn’t fall asleep on the job in bringing change to Washington and a great statement about how far we have come as a country was made.
Unfortunately an equally big statement was made about how far we still must go. It’s as if people forgot that same-sex marriage was previously voted against in California. It was Proposition 22 that was overturned by the states Supreme Court earlier this year. I don’t know if people thought that the state had moved forward or if they just figured people would never take away rights that had been granted to anyone. Could you imagine what would happen if somewhere people managed to vote to take away the right of opposite-sex couples to marry?
Whatever people’s thinking was they just dropped the ball. Mainly I’m talking about the big people here. I’m not talking about the little people who were giving until they couldn’t give anymore. Or the ones that were out pounding the pavement. I have a close friend who was out there on election night fighting against this. I’m talking about the celebrities, I’m talking about the current and former politicians, I’m talking about anyone with a national platform.
Sure a lot of these people are out there now speaking against this and screaming about the injustice. But, where were they in the months leading up to the election. So many of them could be heard and read supporting Obama but, where were their voices against Prop. 8? I don’t live in California so maybe they were loud there but, they weren’t loud everywhere else. They forgot that the religious organizations were preaching every Sunday (and perhaps on other days) to all their followers in every state across the country to send money to help pass Proposition 8, to get in touch with people in California and get them to vote for Proposition 8.
I’ve seen all kinds of celebrities on all kinds of shows since the election speaking out against this. Not just gay celebrities but, straight ones as well. But, again I ask why weren’t they on Bill Mahr and Larry King before the election? Why weren’t they re-directing the conversations on Leno and Letterman to talk against Proposition 8? I faithfully watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow show every night but, they weren’t saying anything leading up to the election.
Sure those two shows are kind of preaching to the converted but, you know it would have ended up on You Tube and people could have passed it around to gain support. I know that would have happened because Keith did a special comment following the passage of Proposition 8 and that’s exactly what happened with it. His special comment was fantastic. He drove right at the heart of the matter but, where was that before hand?
Yes, there was a lot of hate and fear that drove this loss. But, that could have been countered if big name people had gotten out there and made impassioned statements on the side of love and hope, on the side of equality. New polls show that all the protests and cries of injustice have caused people to change their view. People would actually vote differently now after seeing the reaction and hearing the arguments for equality. Some of that you know is seeing big name people out their commenting on this. Just think what could have been if they had spoken up sooner.
