And you thought I was going away?

[emmagrant01]

Okay, one more thing about the election before I get back to work and fade into the background of LJ for real.

I know many of us are angry, and we're venting those emotions. It's completely normal and healthy to do so. BUT: I've seen many people make comments about moving to Canada or Europe because of their disgust over the election results, and I hope you're all just kidding.

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! We need all the liberals we can get in this country! Stay! Fight! Volunteer! Let your voice be heard! Don't give up now, not when we need to be unified in our vision of a tolerant and open, free America more than ever! Gay marriage will never be legalized if all the proponents move to Canada in disgust! We must ensure women will retain their reproductive rights, and more. Did Rosa Parks move to LA when they wouldn't let her sit in the front of the bus? No! She stayed in her town and fought for what she believed in, what she knew was right.

This is just a setback, everyone; just a blip in the radar. Someday, when we're all old and gray, we'll look back at these turn-of-the-century years and remember how critical they were. We'll remember how hard we fought. And we'll remember that, eventually -- through hard work, steadfastness, and sacrifice -- we were victorious.

So stay here with me! Fight! Be positive! Who's with me?

No offense to the Canadians and Europeans, of course.

ETA: Go tell Aja what you love about America

Comments

[littleroo27.livejournal.com]

I just don't know... and people have the dumbest reasons for it. I believe I've mentioned this before, but my mother (who is on husband #3) feels that it destroys some of the sanctity or specialness of marriage. She must have slept through that whole "till death do us part" bit.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Okay, this may come out the wrong way completely, but sometimes a certain number of people just have to die before attitudes truly change. It was true with racism, and I think it will be true with homophobia as well.

That said, people's minds and hearts seem most strongly affected by positive personal contact with people of the minority group in question. If you personally know a committed gay couple, how can you deny them the joys and protection of marriage?

My sister got married recently and her wedding was one of the most amazing and romantic I've ever attended. I broke down and sobbed in the middle of the reception because I realized this what what so many people are denied: the opportunity to celebrate their love and commitment with family and friends, to enter a new phase of their relationship with the love and support of everyone around them. My sister and her husband insisted the minister change the words of the wedding ceremony so that it read "two people" instead of "a man and a woman", precisely because they feel just as I do. There are many of us, and it will change, if we keep fighting for it.

jedirita tells me that these recent attempts to "protect" or "define" marriage are the last gasps of a dying American homophobia, just like so much anti-equal-rights legislation was proposed and ultimately struck down forty years ago. I want to believe she's right.

[littleroo27.livejournal.com]

I certainly hope so! I just went to the website for The Center (the local GLBT group) and they have volunteer orientation on the second Saturday of the month... perhaps I'll go see what's what. I really wanted to get involved after I moved downtown - that's part of the reason I MOVED! And now I'm less then a half mile from them :). It's time I read a little less fan fic and made a little more of a difference.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Go you! :-D