Know Thy Neighbor

Well we now have the so called “Marriage Protection Amendment” heading to the November 2008 ballot. This will likely mobilize self proclaimed “social conservatives” to turn out in a year where they are not too thrilled with the options for the top of the Republican ticket. It also presents an interesting dilemma for those folks in the Log Cabin Republican camp, since their Republican party has provided more than 2/3rds of the $445,000 the proponents of this amendment have raised. It should make for one intense fall campaign.

Some months ago, I was sent an e-mail from a friend with a link to www.knowthyneighbor.org On this site you can search by street, county, or name to see who has signed to put this measure on the ballot. If you happen to be gay or lesbian, it let’s you know real fast who are your friends. If you happen to have family or friends who are gay or lesbian, it is an eye-opener. It was really surprising to see just how many people in the Seminole Heights area actually signed this petition. I guess I learned a bit more about my neighbors, and in a few cases was both surprised and disappointed.

Now I guess I find the notion of discriminating against a whole group of people fundamentally un-American. I find it ironic that, the institution of marriage is more threatened by those who currently have the legal right to do so than by those who may also want that right. An interesting point is that the only state that has legalized gay marriage, you know “liberal Massachusetts” has the lowest divorce rates in the country BUT the States so concerned with “Blocking the chapel doors” have among the highest rates of divorce. So who is threatening marriage? hummm