Just Another Diatribe on Gay Rights

At present there is a bill before the House of Commons that would legalize same sex marriage across Canada. This takes us in pretty much the complete opposite direction of the US, where proposals to constitutionally protect "traditional" marriage passed last November in all 11 states where they were proposed.

Those who oppose gay marriage have already reached an unprecedented level of insanity in the States(protesting SpongeBob? Honestly, how is anyone supposed to take them seriously after that?!). Opposition here has been quieter, but they seem to be gearing up now.

At a recent protest near Hamilton, Ontario an anti-gay marriage advocate encouraged his supporters to lobby their MPs by, among other things, calling their constituency offices after hours and clogging their voicemail systems. (As heard on the CBC news this morning, I'll post a link if/when I find one). I take issue with this, both because clearly I disagree with them, but also because constituency offices do important work that they wish to disrupt for their own ignorant ends.

Constituency offices are there for people to access the federal government. People go there for passports, (especially when they need them in a rush for family emergency, etc), they go when they are having trouble getting government benefits they are rightfully entitled to, basically they go there when they need help. Disrupting this work for political reasons is, in my opinion, despicable.

These folks wish to disrupt that important work because seeing two dudes kiss is icky... Which, incidentally, is seriously the best justification I've seen so far for opposing gay rights. The only other non-vague and actually specific reason I've seen is that some groups seem to feel that gays are secretly trying to "recruit" them or their children, which I find ludicrous. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't care how socially acceptable it becomes, sleeping with a guy just doesn't appeal to me. Honestly the only people I can see this argument making sense to are closeted, self hating homosexuals. I just don't know who else would feel the temptation to cross over and then be so angry about it.

Gay rights is not an issue I want to care about. I was happy enough sitting on the sidelines of the issue, quietly being pleased as they won court case after court case. It meant that society was becoming more tolerant. I like tolerance. Unfortunately, the march of gay rights reached a point where it inspired a backlash. Primarily religious, which I also don't understand.

Every mainstream religion preaches love and forgiveness. Every religion also has various sets of rules to live by. Some have been deemed arcane and are basically ignored. Homosexuality seems to fit well in that list. However, clearly it's not. Religious organizations like Focus on the Family seem fixated on it. They do not love gay people. They fear them. A lot. They fight against teaching children tolerance. To me this seems to clash with the fundamental principles of the church. Which makes it even more bizarre that this group is referred to as "Fundamentalists".

This backlash is the reason I've been speaking up on the issue. I guess I'm the backlash to the backlash. (does that make me the forwardlash?) I just don't like seeing people treated the way the these people treat the gay community. It offends me. Also, I'm reminded of the following quote:

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

These people want to come for the gays,
and though I am not gay, I will stand and fight.

(granted, at least on this side of the border, it's nice to have the government on my side)