Prop 8 Response and Bessemer Meet Up

The California Supreme court just upheld Prop 8.

If I say that the gays are saddened or disappointed or feel cheated because Prop 8 was upheld in California I know I can depend on the homophobes to poke fun as they have before. But sure, there is disappointment. But I will respond with what has become a cliche: It only strengthens our resolve.

Because, as Cody Daigle said in his Prayer for Prop 8, “…if we are forced to fight this fight again (and we will fight this, and we will win, because justice is ultimately on our side), Tuesday’s ruling makes us wiser, stronger fighters.”

Efforts are already underway to gather signatures to bring the issue up again in 2010. The fight will not end until equality and justice are realized.

Here is the real question the justices were asked to answer. Can a majority of voters take a right away from a minority? Well, they did.

A right, like the right to fall in love and establish a legal partnership, exists, whether we recognize it or not. I mean, people are getting married, right. It’s just a matter of recognizing that the right applies to all. California is having a hard time recognizing that, because there are those who want to exclude those who are different. It’s just a power thing. They see themselves as better and as long as they are able to deny a group of people equality, they retain that status.
But like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, we are getting tired of waiting. As Dr. King once wrote, “For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait,’. It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ ”

And as we wait, the resolve strengthens in California. And in Bessemer. California is a long way from Bessemer, but the same prejudices and hatred and misconceptions are prevalent in our community, and today, inspired by and responding to the announcement in California, the efforts to bring Bessemer into the 21st century begin in earnest.

The Facebook group Bessemer Equality continues to grow and we will meet tonight to discuss our strategy. Bessemer Equality is a group of straight and gay people who believe that our city can only grow and prosper if all of its residents are treated with dignity and respect.

Communities across the country are responding to today’s announcement, just as they did after the passage of Prop 8 in November. Join us on Facebook where you can learn details of tonight’s meeting. If you are not on Facebook, but are interested, email me.

As for President Obama’s reluctance to act on issues like DOMA and DADT as quickly as expected, read Frank Rich's recent column from the New York Times.

To go along with the column, here’s Adam Lambert singing “A Change is Gonna Come” from last week’s Idol finale. Sorry, no live video (the sound and video were not in sync on the video’s I saw.)