Oh Yes He Did
I thought I was cynical. I believed that the election process had been so corrupted by our leaders that virtually nothing would happen in 2012 that could be construed as controversial. And then President Obama went on national television in his support of marriage equality.
I cried when I saw it. I actually bawled like a toddler with a skinned knee. Seeing the President of our country boldly declaring that all citizens of our nation deserve equal rights means something. He repealed DADT and that was awesome, but those of us who believe so passionately in this cause felt like he was still not quite "there." I was frustrated with his unwillingness to just come clean and say he was pro-equality. Frustrated is a polite way of saying that I was completely disappointed in him. Angry, saddened and annoyed all fit nicely here as well.
Much is being said around the why. Why now? What does he stand to gain in this election by doing this? Did he do it to rally his base? To get it over with now so by November we'll have forgotten? What does he plan doing?
I'm going to say something pretty off the cuff right now: I don't care.
I don't care if this move was strictly to get people like me in the voting booth.
I don't care if this move was 100% politically motivated.
I don't care if he secretly hates gay people.
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that for the first time in the history of the United States, our President has gone public in his support of the LGBT citizens. This has never happened before. Say what you will, but this is big. This is revolutionary.
Considering that our country is so completely divided on this issue, it can't really help or hurt him. In fact, in the swing states.. it may well hurt his candidacy for re-election. I think what he did was brave. I think it takes a certain amount of swagger to do what he did.
Imagine this happening ten years ago. It would have been political suicide. The fact that it wasn't, that the idea of marriage equality for gays and lesbians could actually garner votes is freaking AMAZING. I'll take it. I will take it and I will run to the voting booth. If I could vote twice for this man, I would.
I've been accused of being a one issue voter. I'm not. The thing is, my priorities are about the treatment of my fellow Americans. I am concerned about the poor, the second class citizen status smacked onto my dearest friends and family members. Hell, ieven me if I'm being honest. I've always been equal opportunity in my choice of partners, so Aaron could very well have been Erin. It never mattered to me and it still doesn't.
I'm also concerned about the movement in our country that is trying to denigrate women by controlling our heath and our choices over our bodies. Personhood, birth control, Planned Parenthood - these are all issues (and organization) that directly affect my daughters and me. So no, I'm not a single issue voter. I am a human being who believes that every single adult in this country deserves to be treated with compassion, kindness, understanding and equality.
And to that end, I will never and could never vote for a man like Mitt Romney. He sees people through a lens of bigotry shaded by his own mis-guided attempt at "religion" and his newly found conservatism. To be perfectly blunt, he can kiss my ass.
Today, I'm rejoicing in this moment. I believe deeply that before my fiftieth birthday there will be a federal law or amendment that will ban discriminatory laws in every state. That this "states should decide" cop-out will one day end and people will be allowed to live their lives without needing permission from corrupt politicians. This will happen, I believe it.
You might even say I have Hope.
I cried when I saw it. I actually bawled like a toddler with a skinned knee. Seeing the President of our country boldly declaring that all citizens of our nation deserve equal rights means something. He repealed DADT and that was awesome, but those of us who believe so passionately in this cause felt like he was still not quite "there." I was frustrated with his unwillingness to just come clean and say he was pro-equality. Frustrated is a polite way of saying that I was completely disappointed in him. Angry, saddened and annoyed all fit nicely here as well.
Much is being said around the why. Why now? What does he stand to gain in this election by doing this? Did he do it to rally his base? To get it over with now so by November we'll have forgotten? What does he plan doing?
I'm going to say something pretty off the cuff right now: I don't care.
I don't care if this move was strictly to get people like me in the voting booth.
I don't care if this move was 100% politically motivated.
I don't care if he secretly hates gay people.
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that for the first time in the history of the United States, our President has gone public in his support of the LGBT citizens. This has never happened before. Say what you will, but this is big. This is revolutionary.
Considering that our country is so completely divided on this issue, it can't really help or hurt him. In fact, in the swing states.. it may well hurt his candidacy for re-election. I think what he did was brave. I think it takes a certain amount of swagger to do what he did.
Imagine this happening ten years ago. It would have been political suicide. The fact that it wasn't, that the idea of marriage equality for gays and lesbians could actually garner votes is freaking AMAZING. I'll take it. I will take it and I will run to the voting booth. If I could vote twice for this man, I would.
I've been accused of being a one issue voter. I'm not. The thing is, my priorities are about the treatment of my fellow Americans. I am concerned about the poor, the second class citizen status smacked onto my dearest friends and family members. Hell, ieven me if I'm being honest. I've always been equal opportunity in my choice of partners, so Aaron could very well have been Erin. It never mattered to me and it still doesn't.
I'm also concerned about the movement in our country that is trying to denigrate women by controlling our heath and our choices over our bodies. Personhood, birth control, Planned Parenthood - these are all issues (and organization) that directly affect my daughters and me. So no, I'm not a single issue voter. I am a human being who believes that every single adult in this country deserves to be treated with compassion, kindness, understanding and equality.
And to that end, I will never and could never vote for a man like Mitt Romney. He sees people through a lens of bigotry shaded by his own mis-guided attempt at "religion" and his newly found conservatism. To be perfectly blunt, he can kiss my ass.
Today, I'm rejoicing in this moment. I believe deeply that before my fiftieth birthday there will be a federal law or amendment that will ban discriminatory laws in every state. That this "states should decide" cop-out will one day end and people will be allowed to live their lives without needing permission from corrupt politicians. This will happen, I believe it.
You might even say I have Hope.
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