“I don't want to get married, so why should I care about SJR-42?” (SJR-42 is legislation placing a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage between Alaskans.) I've heard that several times now. With that, welcome to the first Winning the Debate dedicated to the differences in opinion internal to the gay and lesbian community.
Many gays and lesbians don't want to get involved in resisting SJR-42. The first reason given is frequently “I don't want to get married, so why should I care about SJR-42?” Well sadly, SJR-42 has very little to do with marriage and is really about gay-bashing for power & profit. Its an election year and emotional issues are needed to buoy mediocre politicians. Scapegoats are needed! Gays, unwed mothers, persons with HIV/AIDS, and persons speaking English as a second language are all popular targets this year. If you are silent when any of these people are attacked for political gain, then you are in effect consenting to the idea that they are not equal under the law, but suitable only for use as political pawns.
During recent testimony and floor debate lesbians and gays were compared to farm animals. Does this mean the people making that comparison won't mind when they are similarly compared with farm animals? A very valid comparison could be made between these people and certain animals in the book Animal Farm--the ones that decreed that “some animals are more equal than others.”
What is the aim in comparing lesbians and gay people to animals? The reason must be to dehumanize them. Unfortunately, after dehumanizing a minority, the next step is normally to put them in concentration camps and kill them. Is this what SJR-42's supporters have in mind for gays and lesbians? Who will be next? Non-Christians? Environmentalists? People who want to retain some semblance of their traditional subsistence lifestyle?
Some would complain because I've compared sponsors of SJR-42 with Adolph Hitler. Sadly, it is an all too valid comparison. Reduced to the essentials, both would say or do whatever necessary in order to gain power and wealth. Each have used homophobia to build voting blocks and drive those blocks into a frenzy. The only real difference is that SJR-42's sponsors have not yet had sufficient time or opportunity to match the misdeeds of Hitler. Let us pray that they are given neither the time nor the opportunity.
Another reason given for not joining the fight is that one person can't make a difference. Well, if you look at them, the supporters of SJR-42 are just a bunch of individuals who are convinced of their superiority. If we get all our individuals working together we will have the added advantage of not being mis-guided! Supporters of SJR-42 don't really have anything going for them except they're told over and over that they can prevail. We have an equal chance to prevail. We just have to believe we can!