The Storm is Breaking

The National Organization for Marriage is working hard to paint a scary picture that gays marrying will victimize those very people who seek to marginalize and discrimate against gays. Fortunately, smart, witty people who make sense are fighting back on YouTube with responses and parodies. Here are a few of my favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDbTPBIYiig&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mQVT2SC3M0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0pPEAdDn64&NR=1

And here is a gathering place of top ten videos:
http://www.queerty.com/the-best-responses-to-the-gathering-storm-ad-20090420/

Lastly, what better way to fight fear-mongering and lies than with actual truths. The examples cited in the ad about why the public should be afraid (of religious groups not being able to discriminate against gay people in the public sphere) are debunked by the Human Rights Campaign, on this page:
http://www.hrc.org/12470.htm

Looks like the fear-mongering is backfiring. The real storm that is to be feared is from those making the NOM video, who seek to pull the wool over our eyes with lies.

Stereotypes Shattered in Rising Tide for Marriage Equality

Not only has Iowa - a central, non-coastal state, had its Supreme Court unanimously rule in favor of marriage equality, but the Vermont legislature has overriden a veto by the Governor to allow for all tax-paying citizens to marry.

That does not fit the stereotype of the "activist" group that right-wing evangelicals seek to portray those who support the right for gays to marry -- a group they would like to depict as a deranged, out-of-touch minority who seeks to subvert majority views and forever ruin religious marriage that has allegedly been the same since the beginning of time, or at least Christianity. Apparently, majorities can and will be obtained to throw out fear-based religious fictions.

Iowa's decision, written by Republican Mark Cady, pointed out the "straight-talking" obvious: same-sex civil marriage will not effect religious marriage. Let me add one more point to this: civil marriage has changed many, many times in the history of the United States, typically to expand rights or increase the rights of women. For starters, look at this list on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_civil_marriage_in_the_U.S.

The Biblical definitions still stand... but just take a peak at them to see if this is what the "religious right" is seeking to uphold.
http://www.godweb.org/biblemarriage.htm

The fact is, all institutions must change in order to preserve themselves as human society itself evolves in its understanding of itself and what is truly right. In due time, majorities across the nation will come to see through irrational, bigoted lies for what they are and recognize that marriage equality should not be feared.

Legislature Leads for First Time on Marriage Equality in Vermont

Well, I'm impressed. I really thought that the courts were the institution best suited and likely to protect the rights of an often poorly-understood group of American citizens: gays and lesbians. But Vermont proved me wrong, and I'm tickled. Not only did the Vermont legislature pass legislation to allow same-sex couples to wed, but they overrode the Governor's veto.

Here is more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090407/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_vermont;_ylt=AhknLuWPMPv0.FivXDkw3pB34T0D

And let's not let Vermont overshadow Iowa, whose Supreme Court voted unanimously that preventing gays and lesbians from marrying was unconstitutional. IOWA! This is not some "liberal" New England state here. This is the heartland of the US. Another first!

Not a bad week for the rights of millions of Americans. Let's hope the momentum continues. This will allow us to build fact-based evidence here in the US to disprove fear-based beliefs about what allowing gays to marry will do for the institution of marriage and this country. Look to New England for more victories, as there is a concerted effort there to extend marriage rights in all six of its states by 2012. More here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/us/05marriage.html?ref=global-home

To progress and a more complete promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all Americans! Cheers to that!