Blech. Forget about posterity and any legacy of fighting the good fight--how does this Initiative 957 thing affect me? That's a great question. I can't help but feel the weight of irony slowly crushing me. First of all, this is the type of retaliatory legislation that I love. It satisfies my all of my passive aggresive urges. Basically, I-957 would only grant marriage to couples who want to and eventually do have have children. Marriages that did not produce offspring would dissolve.
I know, it sounds completely ludicrous (and it is), but I-957 was created in response to the state Supreme Court ruling last July (around the time of my birthday).
In a 5-4 ruling, the court decided that gay unions do not constitute a marriage because they are not for the purpose of procreation. If I recall correctly, that was only one point of three major points for the decision. I digress. Because of that ruling, I decided to become ordained. If myself and other gays were denied the right to marry, I reasoned, I should at least have the legal right to marry two straight people. Silly, I realize, but part of me wanted to illustrate how broad religion is and how its intersection with law is close to arbitrary--how this is really a matter of people with a specific belief system oppressing a minority group. Y'know, I wanted to make it about me.
RisaandKeith and I had joked around with me officiating their ceremony, and then one day, I was able to. I had to acquiesce. I mean, it would be my first wedding. So, in less than two weeks, I'll be asking Risa if she accepts Keith as her husband and Keith if he accepts Risa as his wife.
I've been mulling over everything that I'll be saying. The welcome will be lighter fare. The ceremony will be much more serious with a few places for smiles. I'll try my best to not cry. Then a toast which will have some of the best material that I've been pulling from the other parts because I've been afraid of being too offensive. And, finally, I'll sing "Cheek to Cheek" for their first dance.
Then I can relax. Got a hot guy to dance with (who will, under no circumstances, be around for the ceremony). Got a nice hotel room. Got a smile just thinking about it.
The following Monday, I'll be singing with the chorus on the steps of the state capital to pressure the legislature to follow the justices' recommendation of taking the fight to people.
Then I'll be asking everyone I know to sign the initiative. I'll tell them how completely ridiculous the judges ruling was and how equally ridiculous this initiative is, but how it points out the flawed logic of a disingenuous (and election season jaded, I might add) court.
224,000 signatures are needed by July 6, 2007--my birthday.
See? It is all about me, and I'm ready to fight.
6 comments:
Can't you just skip to the part about the hotel room?
I've been practicing my moves. Oh, some dancing as well.
And it IS all about you.
Sign me up. Or, well, I suppose that's something I have to do myself. But no need for arm-twisting. I suggested something along the lines of this initiative last summer.
Earl: I thought of the same thing when I read the ruling. I think one of the other contentions is that gay people can get married just to people of the opposite sex. That part of the argument really smacked of bigotry in my eyees. Anyway . . .
My sweet man: Can't wait to see those moves--oh, and the dancing.
Prof: Naw, I can't skip that part. That's the part that proves that I'm a 'mo.
does this mean we're not getting married?
Tennille
I am totally with you! When the initial ruling came down I knew that it would only be a matter of time before someone would exploit the flawed logic in the Supreme Court ruling. I'll sign! I'll sign!!!
-A
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