Letter: What would happen if other advocates gave up

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Protests are held to showcase injustices placed on those who don't have the rights they deserve. The passing of Proposition 8 is a big step back for not only the gay community, but for the freedoms this country is supposed to afford its entire people. The people have indeed spoken, but both sides realize this fight is not over.

Where would fights such as those for women's rights, interracial marriage and the black vote be if the nation did not evolve in thinking and grant the minority and less powerful the rights they deserve as Americans? What if the trailblazers of their day shrugged it off as a good try and just went home?

Such scenarios seem ridiculous today, but I'm sure that in their early stages, many people would have preferred these advocates step down in such fashion. The gay community is not going away, and its allies will only grow in number and strength.

Proposition 22 passed in California in 2000 with nearly 62 percent in favor. Proposition 8 mirrored much of its message this year, but the number in support dropped to 52 percent. I wonder what would happen with another four years of solid campaigning by the gay community to bring this issue back for another vote.

This is not a matter of religion or creed. This is about equality. A law advocating marriage for both gay and straight couples does not diminish any other couple’s union although many religious leaders and churches would like their congregations to think otherwise.

Why people think lawful gay marriage is a problem is amusing to me. The only people this vote truly affects are those who want so badly to share in a life that straight couples take for granted.

— —Brian Walters is a senior from Catherine.

Hirschfeld: It’s not always bad to be ...

/news/2008/oct/27/single_issue_voters/

Politically correct: same-sex marriage

Three political columnists share their thoughts on laws allowing same-sex marriage.

/news/2009/nov/17/politically-correct-same-sex-marriage/

Cosby: California court case still carries weight ...

Debate on Proposition 8 is about more than gay rights.

/news/2010/jan/22/cosby-california/

Legalizing Love: the state of same-sex marriage ...

A look at the battle for marriage equality.

/news/2011/dec/08/legalizing-love/

Letter: Why haven’t you joined the Prop ...

/news/2008/nov/20/letter_proposition8/

Free: Court ruling a victory for equal ...

The LGBT scored a major victory earlier this month in the overturning ...

/news/2010/aug/19/free-court-ruling-victory-equal-rights/

Letter to the Editor: Gay rights

Gay Marriage should not be left to the states to decide.

/news/2009/oct/09/letter-editor-gay-rights/

Thompson: Gay rights deserve more attention

Gay rights a pressing issue that the president should hear.

/news/2009/oct/07/thompson-gay-rights-deserve-more-attention/

Castle: Marriage should be between a man ...

People seem to be focused on whether same-sex couples should be allowed ...

/news/2011/mar/03/castle-marriage-should-be-between-man-and-woman/

Gay marriage divides on religious lines

/news/2005/feb/03/opinion_faceoff_archer/

Student Housing sponsors lecture on LGBT issues

John Corvino will visit Hashinger Hall theater to heighten students’ understanding of ...

/news/2009/feb/12/lgbt_issues/

Hirschfeld: Maybe it is time to re-think ...

/news/2008/nov/25/hirschfeld_marriage/

Regan: LGBT want rights in Ireland: given ...

Columnist abroad works at Gay Community News, sees how new bill affects ...

/news/2009/jun/30/lgbt/

Cohen: Marriage bill a step backward

Bill fails to address real issues of failed marriages.

/news/2010/mar/02/cohen-marriage/

Letter: Gay marriage advocates should learn from ...

Gay rights advocates should capitalize on this opportunity.

/news/2009/apr/06/letter_gay/

Student activists come out against Proposition 8

Members of Queers and Allies protested California’s ban on gay marriage with ...

/news/2008/nov/17/protest/

Hagen: We must work to protect the ...

/news/2006/apr/05/opinion_hagen/

Editorial: Stand up for rights

Citizens must defend civil rights for gender identity.

/news/2010/feb/22/editorial-stand-rights/

Six degrees get even closer

How the separation theory applies to the gay and lesbian community

/news/2008/oct/09/six_degrees_get_even_closer/

Carmichael: Arguments against gays prove to be ...

There is just no strong argument against two guys or two chicks ...

/news/2011/nov/07/carmichael-arguments-against-gays-prove-be-sensele/

Kansas votes yes

/news/2005/apr/06/news_lawrence_election/

Brinker: GOP moderates versus bleeding-heart liberals

There exists a fine line between the two ideologies.

/news/2011/mar/06/brinker-gop-moderates-versus-bleeding-heart-libera/

Castle: New York’s marriage equality symbol of ...

Politics is slowly catching up with cultural beliefs on marriage equality.

/news/2011/jul/01/castle-new-yorks-marriage-equality-symbol-more-tol/

Cosby: Iowa Supreme Court judged on specific ...

Removal of Iowa judges is worriesome.

/news/2010/nov/11/cosby-iowa-supreme-court-judged-specific-decisions/

Gay marriage divides on religious lines

/news/2005/feb/03/opinion_faceoff_souza/

A look at KU's changing face of ...

University's turbulent past has evolved into a somewhat tranquil state of activism.

/news/2009/dec/04/activism/

Castle: Same-sex weddings are economic boost

Kansas could, like Iowa, cash in on an influx of travelers buying ...

/news/2012/jan/25/same-sex-weddings-are-economic-boost/

Panel to discuss being gay in America

Queers and Allies presents a multigenerational perspective on gay issues in the ...

/news/2009/apr/29/discuss_being_gay_america/

Free: Those against equality share in deaths

Anyone who works against equality for LGBTQ youth shares responsibility for the ...

/news/2010/oct/20/free-those-against-equality-share-deaths/

California case with local significance

Debate about same-sex marriage has KU law students eager.

/news/2010/dec/06/california-case-local-significance/

Bornstein: Battling with — and under — ...

Prohibiting openly gay men and women from participating in the military benefits ...

/news/2010/apr/16/bornstein-battling/

Question & answer with Kristie Stremel, musician ...

/news/2008/nov/13/question_answer_kristie_stremel_musician_and_activ/

Bornstein: Second-class citizenship

Same-sex marriage ensures equal rights for all U.S. citizens.

/news/2009/nov/11/second-class-citizenship/

Commission votes to draft ordinance

/news/2005/sep/07/commission_votes_ordinance/

Study reports on same-sex relationships in Kansas

Douglas County has the fifth highest total with 239 same-sex couples reported.

/news/2008/feb/11/study_reports_samesex_relationships_kansas/

Gay rights debate rages on

This election could mean a new direction for gay rights

/news/2008/nov/03/gay_rights/

SATIRE: Gays get opportunity for ‘Straight Camp’

/news/2005/apr/01/features_tib_camp/

Lavieri: Sports can succeed where legislation can't

Sports can help create acceptance of gay communities.

/news/2011/aug/22/sports-can-succeed-where-legislation-cant/

Student out to prove gay and Republican ...

Salina sophomore wants to run for GOP office despite homosexuality.

/news/2008/jul/01/logcabin/

Don’t expect Catholic pope to advocate liberal ...

/news/2005/may/06/opinion_perspectives_myers/

Letter: What would happen if other advocates gave up

"Tradition" is just a fancy word for bigotry, it seems.

Letter: What would happen if other advocates gave up

There is no mocked tradition in gay marriage. It is still two people in love declaring that through a ceremony of devotion to each other. A gay couple's marriage has nothing to do with any other marriage. It has to do with the two people in it. Does your neighbors divorce or infidelity mock your marriage? Does their commitment? I would think you would say no.

Also I find it amusing that you haven't done some simple math GW. A liberal (meaning broad not political) estimate puts the percentage of the population that is gay at %10. That would suggest that to get the %48 of the vote their would have had to have been many straight people who voted against the ammendment. Thus I find it amusing that even in California there is still a large amount of bigotry.

Letter: What would happen if other advocates gave up

What about the gay penguins? And more dangerously, the big gay bears? It seems more likely that penguins are naturally gay, and it is unnatural for the dude penguins to be getting it on with the lady penguins, considering the tap dancing proclivities of said penguins. (Note: Everything I know about penguins I learned from Happy Feet and a letter to the editor I once saw.) And as far as family unit goes? [citation needed] mate.