Comments on: Open Letter to My Friend Who Opposes Gay Marriage http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/ The daily life of a dork in Chicago. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Thain http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/comment-page-1/#comment-1248 Thain Sun, 31 May 2009 03:43:59 +0000 http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/?p=465#comment-1248 I can't say I disagree with anything in this letter. Not surprisingly I've probably said most of the same stuff myself at various points. Absolutely none of this process is new, its just the specific problem of the moment that changes. Women's suffrage, civil rights for minorities, you can make a list as long as your arm and see this same basic routine over and over again. As long as we persevere and continue to spread the message, it will be resolved. The big key is to not roll over on this and allow the opposition to deny our rights. I can’t say I disagree with anything in this letter. Not surprisingly I’ve probably said most of the same stuff myself at various points. Absolutely none of this process is new, its just the specific problem of the moment that changes. Women’s suffrage, civil rights for minorities, you can make a list as long as your arm and see this same basic routine over and over again. As long as we persevere and continue to spread the message, it will be resolved. The big key is to not roll over on this and allow the opposition to deny our rights.

]]> By: Jordan http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/comment-page-1/#comment-1247 Jordan Sat, 30 May 2009 17:59:49 +0000 http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/?p=465#comment-1247 While I mostly agree with you Mikko I do disagree slightly. I think it is important to carefully draw the line somewhere. If not cautious, our movement runs the risk of turning the hate right back around and that would be terribly productive. I think it is important that we continue to maintain a mostly-polite, well thought out, and humble discourse. Anything that draws negative attention towards our fight will certainly set us back. While I mostly agree with you Mikko I do disagree slightly. I think it is important to carefully draw the line somewhere. If not cautious, our movement runs the risk of turning the hate right back around and that would be terribly productive. I think it is important that we continue to maintain a mostly-polite, well thought out, and humble discourse. Anything that draws negative attention towards our fight will certainly set us back.

]]> By: Mikko Alanne http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/comment-page-1/#comment-1246 Mikko Alanne Sat, 30 May 2009 17:53:39 +0000 http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/?p=465#comment-1246 I think this letter is far too kind. Would we really complement people for their "honesty" if their actions had been motivated by racism, antisemitism or misogyny, whatever the claims of religious conviction? Homophobia, it seems, has found its most lasting refuge in the vestments of faith. It's time we stopped honoring such defenses for hate. Because hate is what we are talking about. Terry's friend can pile up whatever excuses he wants, but the cold facts are these: 1) He didn't just vote to take away rights from a group of people his religion doesn't approve of. He voted to take away rights from someone he knew, a presumed friend. 3) This also wasn't some hypothetical. This was the elimination of an existing, court-affirmed civil right, and Terry's friend also willfully and knowingly voted to annul his friend's legal civil marriage. That is what the Yes on 8 side's official ballot text said: that no marriages, regardless of when performed, would be recognized. People knew what they were doing. Acts of hate and intolerance against friends aren't matters of personal conscience or disagreement. It's time we stopped allowing people to claim so and call things by their real names. I think this letter is far too kind.

Would we really complement people for their “honesty” if their actions had been motivated by racism, antisemitism or misogyny, whatever the claims of religious conviction? Homophobia, it seems, has found its most lasting refuge in the vestments of faith. It’s time we stopped honoring such defenses for hate.

Because hate is what we are talking about. Terry’s friend can pile up whatever excuses he wants, but the cold facts are these:

1) He didn’t just vote to take away rights from a group of people his religion doesn’t approve of. He voted to take away rights from someone he knew, a presumed friend.

3) This also wasn’t some hypothetical. This was the elimination of an existing, court-affirmed civil right, and Terry’s friend also willfully and knowingly voted to annul his friend’s legal civil marriage. That is what the Yes on 8 side’s official ballot text said: that no marriages, regardless of when performed, would be recognized. People knew what they were doing.

Acts of hate and intolerance against friends aren’t matters of personal conscience or disagreement. It’s time we stopped allowing people to claim so and call things by their real names.

]]> By: Skylar http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/comment-page-1/#comment-1243 Skylar Sat, 30 May 2009 02:37:55 +0000 http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/?p=465#comment-1243 Great piece. I may have to direct some of my friends who oppose same-sex marriage to this page. Hopefully it can open their eyes. Great piece. I may have to direct some of my friends who oppose same-sex marriage to this page. Hopefully it can open their eyes.

]]> By: Ralph Rashkin http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/2009/05/29/open-letter-to-my-friend-who-opposes-gay-marriage/comment-page-1/#comment-1242 Ralph Rashkin Fri, 29 May 2009 21:33:29 +0000 http://www.thatdorkjordan.com/?p=465#comment-1242 This is a very thoughtfully written piece. Great job addressing the issue clearly, concisely, and most importantly, rationally. This is a very thoughtfully written piece. Great job addressing the issue clearly, concisely, and most importantly, rationally.

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