The battle over the legalization of gay marriage has been analyzed time and time again. Conservatives do not generally support it, and the left-leaning liberals generally do. These are all things we’ve been made aware of many times over.
The battle over the legalization of gay marriage has been analyzed time and time again. Conservatives do not generally support it, and the left-leaning liberals generally do. These are all things we’ve been made aware of many times over.
To further the fight for said legalization, a Maryland gay marriage advocacy group recently began circulating a graphic via social media that they say exposes opponents’ strategies to overturn pre-existing marriage laws.
The graphic, released last month, responds to news that a court in Maine had released confidential memos belonging to the National Organization for Marriage. Outlined in the memos was a strategy designed specifically to set blacks and Hispanics against gay marriage groups.
Maryland recently legalized gay marriage, so it comes as no surprise that opponents have been quick to act like little kids not getting the toy they wanted for Christmas.
Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the group working to advocate gay marriage who originally released the ad, say that NOM’s main strategy is to “drive a wedge between gays and blacks,” while those in favor of Maryland’s still-young gay marriage law want to “showcase love, commitment and strong families.”
NOM is a nonprofit that, according to its official website, was founded in 2007 “in response to the growing need for an organized opposition to same-sex marriage in state legislatures.” The website showcases the organization as one fixated on lovingly putting a stop to any advancements in marriage equality, as well as educating the public about the “importance of marriage and family.”
While still at the grassroots level, NOM is seeking to become a bigger organization in order to have a bigger political and social impact. This is something to be wary of.
We are now 12 years into the 21st century. You would think that, by now, people would be a bit more accustomed to the idea of gay marriage, right? Doesn’t the idea of two individuals entering into a happy, legal contract based on love, unity and consent sound nice?
No, apparently not. Rather than advocate for equality, opponents of gay marriage are using hateful, homophobic and racial slander in order to further a cause that is rooted in patriarchal and quasi-religious beliefs.
It is bad enough that there hasn’t yet been a universal gay marriage law. This is something that should have happened years ago. Why it is still even an issue in today’s seemingly progressive society is mind-boggling.
Rather than rush to stoop to the lowest possible level (Really? Fighting marriage equality through racism?), why not just accept the fact that people are going to continue to fight and advocate for this issue as long as there is opposition? Of course, at the same time, those fighting against it will certainly draw out this battle until there’s no blood left as well.
Not to say that there won’t ever be a resolution to this ridiculous conflict. As most of us know, opponents of gay marriage like to use the Bible as their main argument against any form of marriage equality, stating that gay marriage is a sin and against the will of “God.”
Those who use their religion as a reason to bash the LGBT community and gay marriage should also remember that the Bible preaches unconditional love and equality for everyone, even those who don’t follow Christ.
As the LGBT community has become more prominent in recent years, its presence in the media has also grown. Pop-culture figures like Lady Gaga, who has basically christened herself the patron saint of the gay community, have heavily advocated both gay rights and marriage equality. With such prominent figures on the side of LGBT, it is no wonder that so many states have legalized gay marriage.
In the past year alone, both Washington and Maryland have legalized gay marriage. These have both been major wins for proponents of gay marriage, and in turn, the Democratic party.
The upcoming election will decide if we’ll have another four years with President Barack Obama (fingers crossed) or four years of one of the less-than-stellar Republican candidates. With this new development showing that some anti-gay marriage groups are stooping lower than normal, those on the conservative side of things should reevaluate what it is that they are trying to prevent.
If you don’t believe in and support gay marriage, that is your own opinion, but racist and homophobic behavior is something of the past. Let’s keep it where it belongs.
