Click to read- unnatural marriage
One of my best friends has suggested we try to ignore everything Palin and her ilk have to say, but I simply cannot help my anger at the ignorance they spew, so here goes.
Yesterday, in a wonderfully refreshing and progressive display of support for all Americans, President Obama declared his unequivocal support for gay marriage. The first president to do so, he said that his daughters helped him realize the error of his ways in not being more bold on this front. The civil rights issues that gay Americans are currently experiencing is in every way, shape and form the exact fucking same thing that black Americans (and generally Americans who just weren't white) experienced just a few short decades ago, and arguably still have to deal with. Anyone who says differently is sexist and racist or doesn't have any information to back up an argument.
While I, and millions upon millions of my fellow citizens and friends, am incredibly excited at the prospect of what the president's comments mean for the future, I recognize that he did say this not one day after North Carolina banned gay marriage and civil unions, the separate-but-equal qualifier that gay marriage opponents keep throwing around. Which means gays in North Carolina are not equal even a little bit... they're second class citizens, not allowed to declare their love and commitment to their partner even in a totally governmental, non-religious way. No rights, nothing. The president's words also come at the beginning of 6 politically charged months, when the rift between conservatives and liberals is stronger than ever, when these words might mean losing his re-election campaign. Props to him for making that strong of a declaration at such an uneasy time, and I hope it serves him well.
In the meantime, however, we have the Palin crew preaching to the conservative ostriches. Bristol (she's the daughter that got knocked up right before Republican presidential hopeful McCain picked her mom to be his running mate, then broke up with the baby's father) chastised Obama for listening to his kids and not being a father. In short, she says that Obama should have explained to his daughters how their friends with same-sex parents are wrong and immoral, and that while "they are no doubt lovely people" he should have shown them that only a father and a mother can properly raise a child. Bristol is a shining example, having inadvertently gotten pregnant in high school when she was unmarried, but she proved that she was mature and responsible by marrying her baby's father and raising her baby in a loving, mother-father household. Oh wait, that's wrong. Bristol had the baby out of wedlock, broke up with the father, didn't allow the father to see the baby, and then had a roller coaster relationship with him after that.
But that's beside the point, at least to the Palins and their followers. What Bristol is really saying is that it's nice that Obama listens to his kids at the dinner table, but rather than take their words to heart and learned to be a better father, man and president, he should have told his daughters that that's not how the world is, and although some people choose that lifestyle it's wrong and should not be condoned. He should have been the person to explain to his daughters how some people are treated differently because of who they are. He, who was alive when the last civil rights movement was in full swing and whose mother undoubtedly went through certain ordeals just having him, should have explained to his daughters that relationships like the ones their friend's parents have is wrong. Bristol is really saying that Obama should be a hypocrite. (Seriously, read this. It's in her own words, in her personal blog on this family-oriented website. I'm reading between the lines, but the idea is clearly there.)
In another blog post written by Bristol just weeks ago, the single mother proudly proclaims that not only is she not living with her boyfriend/father of her baby, but she has no intention to. She brings Beyonce and the New York Times in as testimonials to her abstinence cause (poorly), saying that living together before marriage practically dooms you to divorce. How is Bristol following her own advice? After all the publicity her mother's surprise VP bid brought the family, especially the unwed pregnant daughter, Bristol was able to command enormous fees to speak at high schools and colleges about waiting until marriage to have sex, something she is so clearly unqualified to speak about, no doubt gets advertising revenue from her religious blog, and even has a goddamn book, and is fortunate enough to have the money to have bought herself a nice house, renovate said house, and live independently (or so she implies... I have serious doubts) until she's ready to move in. This isn't the same "I'm a single mother and I'm damn proud of the job I'm doing raising my kid" schpeel we've heard a million times over, mostly deservedly so, it's a unique and self hating "I'm a single mother and I'm damn proud of the job I'm doing raising my kid but you better not even think of doing what I did because if you do it it's wrong" hypocrisy that puts me over the edge. I have no idea how people don't see the blatant lies and discrimination she puts out. Shouldn't someone like Bristol be all for healthcare for mothers and children, all for social services for young, unwed pregnant girls? No, she did what millions of girls and women do and was praised, and then turns around and blames those who did exactly what she did. Some champion.
I realize I've gotten myself all fired up over someone who really does not matter and whose opinion is absolutely worthless, but there are too many people in this country who follow her opinions and even value them, too many people agreeing with people like Bristol and her mother that certain Americans are more equal than others, more deserving of rights and liberties, and frankly just all around better than the rest. This is bullshit and I'm going to call her out, even if only on this little blog, in my little corner of the internet. One day, hopefully within my lifetime, we're going to look back on this time and on people like the Palins with the same disgust we now look back on the people who said a black person and a white person couldn't marry. One day we'll plainly see the ignorance these people have and pity them and their hatred and fear, and be glad that the truly righteous agenda, real equality for every American, finally won.
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