How Many of You In California Have "Liberal Friends" Who Are Quiet on Prop Eight?

[David Zephyr]

The old addage: "It's not what you say, it's what you dont' say" has special meaning to me these days.

I hate to say this, but many of my heterosexual "liberal" friends have gotten very silent around the entire Prop 8 issue.

While they have Obama signs in their yards and the signs of local politicians, they somehow can not bring themselves to stick up for their gay friends rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, to stand up and be counted with their long time gay friends when their civil rights are being trashed by the Mormon Church and Focus on the Family and super right-wing organizations.

Silence. Silence. Silence.

But...

I am watching. And I will always remember.

Always.

And now, another painful observation that I now must share:

A lovely, a very neighborly lesbian couple --- who live just down the hill from my companion (of 35 years) and I --- are raising their two beautiful kids (one boy and one girl).

Now, get prepare your hearts for this one: On both sides of their house are "Yes on Eight" yard signs right up next to their lawn. Right where their children will see them everytime they go outside or pull into or out of their driveway!

Just how much fucking hatred does that take for people to find within themselves to do such a shitty thing as that? As wounding as that? I drive by there every morning and night and I almost have a heart attack because I get so angry and my blood pressure just goes sky high.

There's an idiot white jackass Mormon who has a crappy little silkscreening business next to my company and who knows I am a gay guy has "Yes On Eight" signs all over his business right next to my company's shipping doors. And he gives out "Yes On Eight" bumpers stickers to my UPS delivery guys when they pull their trucks up. They bring them in and ask where they can shred them which makes me almost cry with appreciation.

How many of you have straight "liberal" friends who are suddenly quiet to you here in California?

[begin_within]

1. It seems like there's very little talk about it... plenty of signs... like a silent war

Please introduce me to all the UPS guys who shredded their Yes on 8 stickers, by the way.

[Frances]

2. My husband and I mailed our absentee ballots

with a No on 8 on Monday morning.

Today I asked someone how he was voting. His answer: I think gays should have the opportunity to be just as miserable as I am. AND I think they should have kids just like my high-maintenance kid!

I live in a town with lots of fundies so I have seen lots of yes on 8 signs, but I've seen about as many no on 8 signs.

[stopbush]

3. Not my experience at all here in OC.

In fact, most of the Rs I know are voting against Prop 8 and are vocal about it.

[TomInTib]

4. On the other hand...

Some of us are wondering if "NO" on 8 would negate "legal" marriage and, by extension, alimony.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Where Did You Hear That One?

[TomInTib]

7. My attorney.

He thinks that the vote and subsequent ruling could simply invalidate all standing/existing marriages (and, by extention, divorces).

I could afford some fine single-malts, again.

Thank heavens, I cannot vote.

Tom

[LeftyMom]

8. No means no changes to existing law at all.

[LostinVA]

11. I'm not even sure why he comes into this forum

At least he's not bragging about the "brilliant" bigot he raised this time.

[LeftyMom]

5. If anybody I know is voting for it they haven't told me. Seriously, not one person that I know of.

Now I know that's not totally representative, but it's still a fairly good sign I think.

FWIW, my elderly neighbor stole my No on 8 yard sign... and stuck it in front of her house. She says her place is more visible from the road. :D Now I need to find another sign.

[sui generis]

9. they're not liberal

if they don't support equal rights for all Americans. dead serious. what the hell do they think "liberal" stands for? Freedom to recycle?

[David Zephyr]

12. I agree. And thanks for your comments.

I am through with phony liberal straight people who "are torn" between being liberal and stepping on basic civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans.

Through.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

10. I Am Sick to Death...

of people who want to claim that they are liberal, yet when push comes to shove, they dive for cover and keep silent. As for your neighbors, the lesbian couple, that is just awful--to have to be stuck between two neighbors that are so bigoted and apparently proud to be so.

In the past couple of years, I have come to hate the bullshit that passes for the political process in this country. My spouse (we married in Ontario last year) are planning to emigrate to Canada as soon as we can. At least they make an effort to keep their fundies' expressions of hatred muzzled. As far as I am concerned, their rights end where and when they want to abrogate mine.

If anyone is so disconnected from the real world wonders why so many LGBT people are anti-religious, Prop 8 should be a wake-up call. This crap is dreamt up by fundies and their right-wing political hacks who use the old defense of marriage canard to throw at LGBT people. If heterosexual marriage is in trouble, it is because of heterosexuals, not gay people!

[David Zephyr]

13. Exactly!

Can you imagine how terrible it must be for those two women with their children with their neighbors sticking those signs right at their property lines?!

There's no hatred on earth like Christian hatred. That's my new saying.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

14. Best Definition Of Christian Hatred...

that I have heard in some time, David! These people actually believe they are acting in love, when it is actually hatred. I don't even use the term "homophobia" in regard to those who are monotheists...IMO, it is nothing more or less than monotheistic hatred of those who are not like them.

[David Zephyr]

15. Well, apparently it's a term that merits censorship.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4290018&mesg_id=4290018