Stop the Hate: Protect Maine Equality

In Junior High I was apart of my school's Civil Rights Team which was created early on into my 7th Grade Year. We upheld and informed our class mates about the importance of respecting those from other backgrounds, and to not judge or discriminate against others based on their gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. I honestly joined the team to go on field trips twice a month, and get out of class, but I ended up learning some great lessons about how to treat others with respect regardless of their background.

In May of 2009 my home state of Maine passed a bill which legalized homosexual marriage. On September 2nd, it was announced that opponents of the law had gathered enough voters’ signatures to put the issue to a vote in November. Now, Question 1 will decide whether or not Maine will continue to honor equality and the civil rights of every American.

The Question is worded as follows...

Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?

To conserve same-sex marriage, one would vote NO.
 
Well, a few days ago I had the displeasure of seeing my first "Yes on 1 Ad." The ad I speak of revolves around a young couple from Massachusetts whose child was read a book that showed homosexuality in a friendly light.



They were infuriated by this teaching and tried to pull the child out of class, but the school claimed they had no right to do so. The couple, Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, then joined a suit filed by Tonia and David Parker. (You may notice that Joseph Wirthlin is referred to as "Robb" in the ad, but after a little digging, I found our that it is just an alias.)

According to the National School Board Association’s website, “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that the school district’s refusal to allow parents to opt their elementary school children out of lessons aimed teaching tolerance for same-sex marriage did not violate their own or their children’s rights to free exercise of religion or due process.”

It seems if it were up to the Parkers, or the Wirthlins, that every lesson would have to be run by parents first to make sure it stands within THEIR belief system. Because these couples are both catholic, should evolution then be barred from the curriculum, or maybe the Big Bang Theory?

The whole argument becomes ridiculous!!

Basically what the courts were trying to do was to “have children accept the validity of, embrace, affirm, or celebrate views of human sexuality, gender identity, and marriage constructs [and help] in preventing discrimination, specifically discrimination targeted at students in school.”

All people, whether they are gay, straight, black, white, rich, poor, or otherwise deserve all the same rights. There should be no discussion. Most argue that homosexual marriage is not God’s will, and that it is morally wrong, but why should God have ANYTHING to do with it, when there is suppose to be a clear distinction between church and state.
 
It’s been also been stated that children need the influence of both a mom and a dad to grow up to be a “normal” contributor to society. So, are my excellent grades and impressive resume null and void because I was raised by my father in a ONE PARENT household?

Groups like “Stand for Marriage Maine” claim that a homosexual agenda is being pushed on the masses, and that homosexual marriage destroys the sacredness of marriage. I would argue that the divorce rate in America puts that sacredness to shame. I mean if Britney Spears can get married at 3am in some drunken Las Vegas romp, why can’t two people of the same sex do the same?

Simply put, the school’s lessons in no way prohibit those families who oppose the homosexual lifestyle to impose their bigotry on their kids.

Can someone tell me how people can find the audacity to deny other people the same rights themselves enjoy? How does two people getting married effect them in any way? I’ve tried as hard as possible to try and see it from the other side, but I cannot. The argument is invalid, and filled with hate.

If you want something to wash that taste of bigotry out of your mouth left by the previous video, here is how life SHOULD be...



Peace & Love.
 
Sources:
 
http://www.protectmaineequality.org/index.cfm

http://www.nsba.org/MainMenu/SchoolLaw/Issues/Curriculum/RecentCases/ParkervHurley.aspx
 
http://www.conservapedia.com/Parker_v._Hurley

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/us/03maine.html