Anyone who's been following the current political storm has heard the Referendum 71 debate. I for one, am disgusted that we are even voting on it in the first place. Allowing citizens to vote on basic human rights is only proof of how little we've traveled since the Civil Rights Movement. It was only a few short decades ago that even my parents would not have been able to legally marry due to their differing races. I do not see how that is any different than the issue we are currently voting on. It is an attempt to legislate bigotry.
This weekend, I went to my very suburban, very conservative hometown. I'm realizing more and more why I left it for Seattle, and this weekend was further proof. My sister and I were driving through a busy intersection, when I noticed people holding signs that read, "REJECT REF. 71: PRESERVE MARRIAGE."
Of all the arguments I've heard opposing the referendum, this one by far disgusts me the most. To blame gay people for ruining marriage is like going to war with Iraq instead of Afghanistan for bombing the twin towers. If people are so concerned about preserving marriage, maybe we should start banning divorce? But that wouldn't happen because we'd be taking away the rights of straight people.
"I am so yelling at them when we drive by again," I said to my sister. Those signs ignited my anger.
"Do it." she said flatly.
However, when we rolled by the second time, I realized these weren't just people holding the signs. They were CHILDREN! And a few idiotic teens.
"Do they even know what they're holding up?!" I exclaimed in disgust to my sister who was driving.
The children started waving at us and smiling, trying to wipe the angry and confused looks from our faces.
"Probably not," she responded. "It's whatever their mommy's and daddy's told them to believe."
My sister is right. And who can really blame these kids? I believed everything my parents told me. "I don't know if I can yell at them. They're too young to understand what they're holding up," I said in defeat.
"Well if you can't yell at them, I can." My sister started rolling down the window. I didn't stop her, because I wanted to know what she was going to say. But rather than the parental lecture I was expecting (she does teach little kids ballet), she screamed:
"HEY!" The kids looked at her, hopeful that they may have found a convert to their hateful message. "F--- YOU!!!"
I totally wasn't prepared for that. I was so shocked that she cussed out those children that I just started laughing because I didn't know what else to do. Needless to say, we were the ones wiping expressions from their faces.
My sister stepped on the gas and sped away.
"I can't believe you just yelled that!" I said still laughing.
"I can. If they have the nerve to stand on a corner and hold up a political sign, they better be certain of what it is their holding up. They better be able to back it up and be prepared to argue with people who don't agree with them!"
"You make a good point," I said. "I was going to tell them to ban divorce if they were so concerned about saving marriages."
"Yeah, but that's such a mouthful. I kept it short and sweet and got the point across."
I laughed nervously.
"I'm...kind of afraid of you now."
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but my little sister will beat up your little sister. Oh- and APPROVE REFERENDUM 71!
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