Gay Marriage, Gay Rights: The New Civil Rights Movement

Like millions of other gay Americans, I was outraged on November 4th when California passed Proposition 8, and ended a basic human right, the right to love another person, to be accepted by another person, and the law. And like millions of other gay Americans, I was unaware that similar decisions were being made the same day in other states. In Florida, and in Arizona, the right for one man to marry another, or for one woman to marry another, was stolen from us too. Just as unconscionable, in Arkansas, the right of gay couples to adopt was taken away from us.

There are countless reasons why we lost these battles. Perhaps the greatest reason is the one I just stated: “I was unaware”. My ignorance about what was happening to me, a gay man who at long last has someone he wants to marry, and for the first time in his life sees marriage as possible, not only because there is someone I want to marry, but because the populace has become far more “tolerant” of gay marriage, my ignorance was worse than the ignorance of those who don’t understand gay marriage. My ignorance was easily avoidable. My ignorance was a lack of information; I was uninformed.

Ignorance about the concept, the essence of gay marriage by those whom are morally conditioned to be in disagreement with it is in some respects understandable, although by no means acceptable or tolerable: You were told that it goes against the Bible. You have never seen a gay couple. You are intolerant of others. You are ignorant. You need to be educated and learn that there are others in the world who are built differently.

But, in the Information Age, to be ignorant because information is not readily available is inexcusable. Hence, the purpose of “The New Civil Rights Movement: Gay Marriage and Gay Rights“, a blog I’m editing that is dedicated to keeping you informed of all the events in the gay rights arena, especially gay marriage. Because weddings are bliss, ignorance is not.

I hope you’ll visit me there, too.