Commentary

Should states’ rights decide gay rights? Or any rights?

Should states’ rights decide gay rights? Or any rights?

Ernest J. Dronenburg, the County Clerk here in San Diego, has decided that he doesn’t want to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Even though the State of California says he must, and the U.S. Supreme Court says he must (kind of), he is demanding that the California Supreme Court issue “an immediate temporary stay” on issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Image: Freedom to Marry

He says the law isn’t clear…

Mr. Dronenburg and his ilk are just some of the many reasons that the citizens of any state should not be allowed to vote on any issue concerning the human rights of other citizens.  It just never works out well for those who may fall in to the category of “the other.”

Consider the southern states that had state and local laws which instituted discrimination against blacks — laws that prevented blacks from voting, attending white public schools, owning houses in a white section of town, eating in white restaurants, drinking out of water fountains, riding on the front of buses…

Had the federal government not stepped in, well – you tell me – how many of you believe these laws would have been changed? Anyone?

The thing is, it just never ends.

The citizens of each state want what they want. The people with the money have the power, and they want to mold their cities and towns to their own little standards, with their own little rules, their own little prejudices, and their own little innuendos.

Those who struggle to keep their heads above the water have no money which means they have no power and their voice is very rarely, if ever, heard.

They are considered “the other,” and the laws are never structured to their benefit. In fact, laws are often structured to punish and keep them “in their place” and they are often forgotten and left behind.

LGBTQ citizens fall into “the other” category — based on the ick factor.

Some voters don’t understand, so they don’t care. Others listen to their religious leaders and vote however they are told to vote. Still others just think it’s a deviant, perverted lifestyle that we have chosen and however they can keep us down – that’s what they choose, and that’s how they vote.

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The majority cannot rule when it comes to civil rights – for civil rights are human rights and the people who have the power, have the money and they want what they want, and that is not always what is right and just for everyone. 

The evil Proposition 8 here in California, which ended gay marriage, was fueled by religion and backed monetarily by religious groups. 

That’s not governing, that’s a Sunday morning church service.

Is same-sex marriage legal?  Yes, in some states. Just don’t marry in California and move to Arizona – it won’t be legal there.

Is abortion legal? Yes, it’s legal according to the government. But… try and get one in Texas or Mississippi or Kansas or Iowa…

Do you see this as governing, or do you just see confusion?

Either way we must be ever vigilant, my friends – ever vigilant.

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