Sunday, November 16, 2008

November 16: International Day for Tolerance

Can't we all just be nice to each other?  Please?

With all of the craziness that has been sparked over the result of Prop 8 in California, I've been wishing harder than ever that we could all just be respectful.

In this country, we still have the opportunity to vote.  Once those votes are tallied, law is made.  If there are people that don't like the result, it is then their opportunity to bring their own proposition to the people at the next election, or bring it to the court.

If I went and pasted signs in support of Prop 8 on the homes of gay and lesbian couples I know, (with whom I'm on good terms, btw), odds are I could be put in prison, fined, or both.  In our current political climate, that's considered a hate crime.  The Prop 8 opposers have done just that . . . only their posters were on the house of my God.  And since Christians (and other religious sects supporting the Prop 8 definition of marriage) are not protected classes, odds are no such charges will be brought against the demonstrators.

Deomonstrating in large, angry crowds on Sundays outside of the buildings where members of my church gather does nothing to change the result of the voting on Prop 8.  It's intimidating to church members who are gathering peacefully as Christians are instructed to do.  Demonstrations such as those are no more than retribution and intimidation . . . and that's not supposed to be a part of our political process.  

And if singling out one church from the multitude of churches who actively supported Prop 8 isn't discrimination, I don't know what is.

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Closing note:  I welcome respectful questions and statements in response to this post.  Dissenting views are welcome, provided they are not laced with profanity, vulgarity, or hate.  No disagreement was ever settled with any of those.  Thank you.