I AM THE FORCE

"The rights that we have under the Constitution covers anything we want to do, as long as its not harmful. I can't see any way in the world that being a gay can cause damage to somebody else."
Barry Goldwater

The Republican Party has a problem with gay people. Wisconsin Republicans have just begun the process of promoting a constitutional referendum which would say the following:

"Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state."

It's a great traditional wedge issue, fire up the people who are uncomfortable with homosexuality and the idea of gay marriage and get them to vote for you and your team. The problem is that the Gundrum Republicans are likely to experience short-term gain and long-term pain for their obsession with the private lives of others. The language in their proposed to change to the constitution would prevent both gay marriage and civil unions, and send a solid message that Wisconsin rejects gay couples and their right to live as they please. Thoughtful opponents of gay marriage might have worked to create a civil union alternative that recognized and protected the familial rights of gays and lesbians, but the libertarian Republicans have apparently gone underground and have left the stage solely to the haters.

Most people in today's world have friends or family members who are gay. We should all be thankful to them for coming out of the closet and helping dispel ignorance and fear in the "straight" community. The Gundrum Republicans are wrong today because the gay couple down the street is no threat to you or your family. They are people, the same as you or I, who deserve to live their lives as they wish and be left alone to do so. The concept of toleration is even offensive and passe'. You shouldn't have to tolerate them, because there is nothing offensive to tolerate. Who they love and what they do in their sex lives is none of your business, and doesn't affect you and your family in any way. So there may be many people out there who still fear gays and lesbians, but that does not excuse a political party trying to exploit those fears for partisan political advantage. If you can't be okay with the private lives of others, well then, at minimum, just leave them alone. Is that too much to ask?

More and more regular people in Wisconsin and around the world are understanding this every day. And over time, the civil rights of homosexuals will become as solidly recognized as the civil rights of women and minorities. When George Wallace stood at that schoolhouse door to fight integration, he certainly experienced short term political gain from the white Jim Crow supporters of Alabama, but he was wrong nevertheless. And history will judge the Mark Gundrums of the world in the same manner. It is a shameful thing to condemn a sub-group of people in our society as second class citizens. The Republicans of Wisconsin are simply wrong on this issue, and they will eventually pay at the polls.

To the religious people out there whose church teaches them to fear and hate homosexuals, I can only say that I feel sorry for you. It's just sad that the Republican-evangelical alliance has resulted in such a counterproductive direction for the Grand Old Party. I think it's conservative to defend the right of others to live as they please, while Mark Gundrum thinks its conservative to discriminate against and hate the "other". Which side are you on?