Tuesday, May 26, 2009

California's About-Face


California has announced its decision. Prop 8 will stand. Those 18,000 couples who married just under the buzzer will be able to keep their marriage licenses. The rest? Too bad. You didn't jump at the chance to get married before they shut the door--again.
Most people who marry have the luxury of time. Time to plan a date, a season they favor, a place, a guest list, flowers, photographer, invitations, cake, reception and all the trappings.
Imagine if you had to madly dash someplace to tie the knot. No time for lots of fanfare or formality. No time to gather family and friends. Just hurry up. And, oh, by the way, even if you do all that, sometimes in California it doesn't "stick".
It's a sad day in America today. Sad, not just for gays and lesbians, but sad for those who love liberty, who believe in equal rights for everyone. Who believe we all deserve the protections afforded by the Constitution in the country we love.
Sitting back just doesn't cut it anymore. It's not enough to complain.
It's time to march. To do something. To speak up. To pressure. And to tell anyone and everyone who will listen to pick up a phone, pick up a pen, and pick up the cause.
When one of us is oppressed, we are all oppressed.

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