Too scared to ever go back...

[judecorp]

As much as the affordability and the good friends draw me back to Columbus, it's things like THIS ARTICLE that really scare me into even considering it. There's so much at stake in my life, so much Jennifer and I want to accomplish, and I just can't run the risk of having anything screw that up.

It just makes my heart hurt to think about it.

On Nov. 2, Ohio will vote on Issue 1, a state constitutional amendment that purports to simply ban same-sex marriage but actually goes much further. Ten other states -- Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah -- are also voting on anti-gay marriage amendments. They're all expected to pass, most by wide margins. Eight of the state amendments prohibit domestic partnerships or any other public benefits or recognition for gay couples. But as a headline on the front page of Columbus Dispatch recently said, "Issue 1 wording makes it the strictest." Polls show support for it hovering above 60 percent.

Issue 1 is only two sentences long, but there's a world of uncertainty in it. While the first sentence simply decrees that marriage is between a man and a woman, the second says, "This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage."

Comments

[wednes.livejournal.com]

Maybe I am naive, but I don't understand how such a thing could pass. I always want to think that bigots are just a very vocal minority and just make a lot of noise for the lord or whatever...but not that most people think in a backwards and asinine way.

it is terribly sad. But know that many ministers, myself included, will still perform the cerimony for people who love eachother.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I know that there are a lot of ministers/churches/etc. (even in Columbus) who support same-sex marriage and will perform ceremonies. And that is wonderful. But ceremonies are not legal marriage. And that is what I want.

I don't want to be a spoiled brat about the whole thing, but it's not the commitment I'm looking for - I already have that. When it comes to the spiritual side of marriage, Jen and I are already married. In our hearts and heads, we've been married for some time now, and that commitment is strong.

What I want is legal recognition, legal rights, and legal benefits. And not for me so much as for our children. It's too risky for me to bring children up in a place where co-parents' rights are not established and protected under the law, where health insurance is not available, where the majority of the people in the state are vehemently opposed to our family. That just makes me sad.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

You're right, of course. The whole issue leaves me feeling both enraged and powerless. I simply haven't heard a non-christian argument for denying people the right to marry and have thier marriage recognized.

Beyond voting and spreading the word, I don't know what else to DO about it.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Believe me, that's a lot. Voting and spreading the word show other people that it's not such a cut-and-dry issue. It shows other people that there ARE rational, spiritual, intelligent people (even those in opposite-sex relationships) that do not think the world will end if we let two girls or two boys get married.

You are ensuring that your light is not kept under a bushel barrel, and that is important.

[scottopic.livejournal.com]

I think it's the general attitude of reserving marriage for a man and woman, and those provisions will be ignored, because people will just think "Hey, I support marriage as just between a man and a woman, YES!" without considering the ramifications of the extra phrase.

I understand the approach for those who simply want the term reserved for man-woman relations (while still disagreeing with them), but this is the sort of nasty slip-ins that are found throughout lawmaking, of course.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised there's not some /other/ hidden clause stating that Taft will be governor for the next 849092 million years, actually. The fundies are a big fan of Taft, because he's an asshat.

[wednes.livejournal.com]

When we had prop C in Ypsilanti a few years ago, it was worded in a confusing way that many people didn't understand. That was an awful thing, as I went to vote a girl about 16 walked up to me with a box of buttons and said "stop special rights for gays?".

I was like "what do you mean?" and she proceeded to tell me that her pastor told her that gays wanted to teach gayness in schools and good Christians needed to stop them. Needless to say, my head hurt for the rest of the day.

[mayna.livejournal.com]

There's no way it'll pass. For one, even Taft (big republican that he is) denounces it. Everything we've heard on the radio basically says don't vote for it, even if you think marriage is only between a man and a woman, because having it on the books will cause Ohio to lose top talent, and businesses may not want to relocate here. I don't think I've heard a single group try to get people to vote for it.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

See, I'm not worried about Columbus, because Franklin County is it's own little pocket of liberalism and niceness. And I know that Taft is advising against it, and so are the two Republican senators (as far as I've seen)... but I'm /really/ scared of the people of Ohio who aren't from Franklin County. It's a big, scary world out there.

I will be thrilled if it doesn't pass (and will go back to considering relocating for Jen to go to school), but just the fact that something so heinous can come up for vote scares the poop out of me.

p.s. Have that baby already, will ya?!??!?!

[mayna.livejournal.com]

I still think there's no way it'll pass. It'll even hurt heterosexual couples that aren't married, and the congressmen are quick to mention that as well. As long as they keep up the hype against it I don't think it'll pass.

And believe me, this baby has been cookign WAY too long.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right. About the amendment AND the baby.

Get off the computer and go have more sex!

[calledmara.livejournal.com]

Reporting from the lovely Republican stongholds of Lovely Fundie Allen County and Oh-So-Catholic! Van Wert County, Ohio. This thing will pass. Every county outside of Cleveland and Columbus will pass this thing. No question asked. Yeah, Taft can speak out against it, but he's not your priest/pastor and that who really knows. There are all sorts of lovely homemade signs up this way. It's easier to focus on the evil gays than the, I think, 1,800 jobs lost from Allen County.

On my way to the car in Lima (big city for Allen County) I got yelled at. I have a Kerry rainbow bumper sticker. I was told to "burn in hell you liberal faggot" To which I replied "liberal dyke you moron." And really, I'm much more active as a babykiller. Sigh.

So yeah, sign me up for that brain drain because my four degrees and I will only be home for Christmas after this year.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm pretty scared that you are 100% right. Suck.

Come be our roommate!!