Rebel Nerd

Over the weekend I was discussing the gay marriage issue with my Daughter, and she had a great comment… “What are they going to do next, install gay drinking fountains?”  Ahh, I was so proud of her!  I think that’s a great analogy – we all know that “Separate but Equal” does not work!

Normally I never vote, and I was planning on not voting again today.  Then, on the way back from lunch, I heard that Wisconsin was voting on an amendment to the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

Well, I just could not stand by and let that happen! So off I went to cast my vote against this ridiculous amendment.  They way I see it, who you are married to is your choice, it’s not up to the state to decide.

I think you really need to question why anyone would want to prevent gay marriage.  What’s the harm?  Will it destroy the moral fiber of the country?  Are they unfit parents?  Do they love each other less?  Are they less than human?  Are they “moral degenerates”?  Is there some reason they shouldn’t lose half their stuff in a divorce, just like the rest of us?  I don’t think so, and if you do…well…I feel sorry for you!

It wasn’t all that long ago (1964?) that these same issues were raised about interracial marriages.  Hopefully we all now know how ridiculous and small minded it was in the context of interracial marriage, and still is today in the context of gay marriage.

I don’t see any reason to pass laws against my friends, family, co-workers, and fellow citizens, people who are otherwise law abiding, productive members of society. 

So, I get there, register, etc, get my ballot, vote straight democrat, vote no the “gay marriage amendment” and the last question is about the “Death Penatly”.

For some reason I immediately thought about the estate tax, AKA “Death Tax”…then I read on and it’s about capital punishment. 

Holy crap, I never heard anything about this…I looked around to find and check the “No way in hell, are you retarded” option, which from some reason was not there.  I just checked the “No” option, turned in my ballot.

While leaving I wondered if I was in the minority in my community.  I live in a small town in central Wisconsin that seems to be firmly in the republican camp.  I wonder of there are lot of people in this area that just don’t get it? 

The current political climate is discouraging…its controlled by those who show up…an I normally don’t show up; not out of apathy but rather I feel the whole system is so completely broken there is no hope of getting the desired outcome.  But I guess it’s all we have to work with right now, and I need to show up to have any possibility of making a difference.  Maybe I made a difference today, maybe not, one thing is for sure, I will never make a difference if I don’t show up.

 Interesting article about arguments and motives of people attempting to ban gay marriage - http://www.bidstrup.com/marriage.htm