Friday, October 31, 2008

You, Me and Traditional Marriage: UPDATED

Sometimes I am slow and so I did not get this emblem embedded until today.  I did write this on the day (actually I think just before) this was the day.  No matter - this is especially for the Central Valley folks.  I saw one No on Prop 8 and about a dozen Yes on Prop 8 commercials and I am frustrated that anyone thinks that somehow the passage of this proposition will do anything but create a permanent rank of second class citizens.  So let me steal the following from a good friend and blogger cany --

I also borrowed this from cany -- thanks and a hat tip to you -- I would like for everyone to concentrate on keeping our democracy free rather than attempting some back door process to screw up the first ten amendments.  


Please, if you have not read this yet read on but more to the point -- when you are finished go directly to your sample ballot mark the no block on Prop 8 and take the sample ballot to your polling place when you go.  Do not let hate and fear get the better of us -- we are all much better than that!

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I/We have been married for over 38 years.  I am unclear on how the passage of Proposition 8 will restore my "traditional marriage".  In fact, I did not know I had a traditional marriage.  At great personal risk, I always thought I was just married.
 
I do know this about our marriage. There is a feeling that at some point in time overtakes one.  I am not sure when it happens, maybe right away, maybe after a while or maybe after some profound experience.  I do not know when.  I do know that when I turn to my spouse and say something, only to find that she is not there, I get a deep, pit of the stomach ache that hurts like the dickens.  I think of the time when she will not ever be there and it brings tears to my eyes.  I cannot imagine a time when she would not be there.  It is quite literally, not within my world view. I hope you all understand what I mean by world view.  World view meaning: if gravity suddenly disappeared and I flew off the face of the earth it would be no less startling than not having my wife with me. 


I believe that anyone who has been married has this same experience from time to time.  It is not unique to me and it is not unique to you.  Would you wish that feeling on anyone else?  I cannot imagine me going through that let alone anyone else.  We, you, me, us in California have the power to end some of those terrible feelings.  Not forever and not for everyone but for some and for a lot of the time.  All you and I and our spouses and our friends and our neighbors have to do is on Tuesday, go to your polling place and vote NO on Proposition 8.  Let us all do something of lasting value.  Listen to what follows and then go to the pools on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 and vote NO on Proposition 8.




Home Is Where The Heart Is


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome song, Fred.

And I know the feeling.

Thanks.

IT

James said...

Well said.

Lynn said...

Fred, I remember that feeling, and it even still pops up from time to time when I hear or see something that "would have..." You and "Wilma" have been so blessed, and so have my parents (as were Papa Doc and Ms. Nessie until recently).

Watch out...that song set off my marshmallow side!

EVERYONE should have the opportunity of 'till death do us part. And in some ways, that doesn't cause a complete parting. Forever is a mindset that takes love and sometimes, living in the present & planning for the future...and a little stubborn streak at times. I don't see any sign that heterosexuals are any better or worse at it.

Lasting love makes all of us strong. It comes in many packages. We must celebrate it, and honor it!

I'm praying for California - and Californians.

Frank Remkiewicz aka “Tree” said...

Lynn,
Well said and thank you

Lynn said...

I do wish I could go vote. I did vote against the terrible Virginia amendment that not only bans same-sex marriage, but contractual relationships that "could" give similar rights. (I haven't been tracking how much they enforce some of that, but the message is clear: civil contracts destroy traditional families).

Cany said...

beautiful post... great song!