It's one of those days when the mind is running at warp speed and the thoughts are coming at such a rapid rate, I hardly know where to begin, and yet not sure what to write. Have you ever had one of those days when you know what you want to do, know what you need to do, and yet you haven't the foggiest notion of how to get from point A to point B? This has been a crazy week as I have had to crunch five days work into three as I took a day off Tuesday to work the polls on election day and tomorrow is Veteran's Day and the office is closed. I guess there is no rest for the weary. But let's give the Ole College try and see if I can't put down some coherent thoughts for all of you to enjoy, or maybe just ponder.
Having just come through a normal election cycle here in Maine I was thinking about some of the things I have seen over the last few days. Some things surprised me, others didn't. I would like to tell you I have seen it all, but alas, there are some things that come to light from time to time that even surprise me the ultimate skeptic. As I mature, that's a polite way of saying getting older, but as I mature I look at things a little differently then I once did. There are things that drive me crazy. Intolerance being at the top of the list. I had the opportunity to sit at the polls this past Tuesday collecting signatures on a State wide petition to get Same-Sex Marriage on the ballot next November in the general election. First off let me say how sad I am that we are having to fight this fight again. When our State Legislature was brave enough to pass the law and our then Governor, John Baldacci, showed equal bravery by signing this legislation into law, we thought that we had finally been recognized as being worthy of marrying the person we loved. How short lived our excitement was, but we knew this was going to happen and we were prepared for the inevitable. Unfortunately when it went to the polls in 2008 we lost and once again became second class citizens. Now fast forward to 2011 and once again we are collecting signatures to get his measure back on the ballot. It is my desire that this is the last time we will ever have to do this. But this segways into one of my topics of conversation today, the intolerant right, and the ignorance they display. If I hear one more politician talk about the morals of this country and how same-sex marriage means the end of the morals of this country I will look for the first bridge to throw them off of. To be so ignorant to think that only a marriage between a man and a women is morally right undermines the entire fabric of our society. Gee at a 50 plus percent divorce rate in this country, the hetero population has done a crack up job in this department. And yet, these are the same people who refuse me my right to marry the man I love. Now don't get me wrong, I am not fool enough to think that Same-sex couples are immune to the pitfalls of marriage. Sure there will be divorce in the gay community just like the straight community. But the big difference is that straight people at least have the right to seek a divorce from a marriage they are not happy in. We don't even have the right to enter into a marriage that we may or may not be happy in.
Would someone please show me in the United States Constitution where it says that marriage is only between a man and a women. Can anyone show me in the United States Constitution where marriage between a Same-sex couple undermines the fabric of our society. And finally, can anyone is this country show me in the United States Constitution where it says we have the right to take away the rights of any citizen of this country simply because we want to marry someone of our own sex. Folks, it's not there!!!!! No where does any of this appear in our constitution. And somehow a segment of our population is so threatened by us that they will do anything to deny us our rights to live, love, and be an American, just because our partner happens to be the same sex. And let me get this off my chest, this is not about "SEX", it's about love, nothing more, nothing less. It has never been about sex, not now, not ever.
When we lost the election I overheard two ladies talking the next day. They were so excited that the Same-sex law was overturned. When I say excited, that was an understatement. They were giddy with excitement. So being the instigator that I am, I approached them and asked what was bringing them so much joy. I knew what it was, but I was going to play Micky the Dunce and see if I couldn't get them to display their true ignorance. So I asked them to explain and they said that they had won, and I asked "Won What?". "Oh We won, we won the election" Ok me being a little slow on the uptake, or at least that is what I wanted to portray I had to ask again, "Won What?". She proceed to say that the state had just turned over the law allowing same-sex marriage. "Oh" I said, "So what does that Mean?". As I said that appearing to them like a deer in a headlight, they began to take on the same demeanor. I said to them,"just what did you win?". In true idiotic fashion she went on to say yet again "We won". It was about this time that I felt I was dealing with a third grader so I put on my best Third Grade Teacher's voice and asked "So what does that mean?" I don't think she was able to comprehend the point I was trying to make, so I decided to spell it out to hear and speak in very simple words that even she could not mistake. I told her "you have won nothing, because nothing has changed. We did not have the right to marry before and we still don't have the right. We are still here living, working, and paying taxes in our community. We still have family and loved ones in each school, working in each company, and attending different activities around our community. " At this point I think the point I was trying to make finally was beginning to set in. If I could have had a camera to take a picture of her face at the moment in time when she realized that nothing had changed, that picture would have been worth a million dollars. Ladies and Gentlemen I am praying that I never have to have this discussion again. I am hoping that the fine people of Maine have finally gotten to the point where this issue is no longer a dividing one. I am hoping against hope that I never have to sit at the polls and collect signatures again to get the right to marry the man I love. And I so hope that some ignorant person does not have the nerve to say that I am not morale because I have fallen in love with a wonderful man. I will no longer tolerate this type of intolerance just like I will not tolerate intolerance in any form. Ladies and Gentlemen the gloves are coming off and it is time to take no prisoner's. You have, the religious intolerant, the far right zealots, the gay bashers, how ever you want to call them, you have pissed me off and from here on out the fight is on. I will have the right to marry my partner in my own state and not have to cross borders to do it. Let me be me and you can be you. After all I haven't gone anywhere and shy of you killing me I am still going to be here right next door to you, still loving my partner and still being a citizen of this state. Get ready to rumble, I will not back down.
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