Progress is progress

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

-President-elect Barack Obama

Yesterday, we elected Senator Barack Obama into the Presidency by an electoral college landslide.  When I heard the news, I felt I could breathe easier, not solely because I got what I wanted, but because America did what was right.  We showed up, we left no room for error, no room for recounts, no room for doubt.  America didn’t speak, America shouted.  When Obama appeared on stage to deliver his acceptance speech, I was in tears. My whole life, I have been embarrassed that our country has allowed only one demographic to hold the Presidency.  I am thankful that my children, our children – will be born into a different country.  I felt our history change.  I was very proud for 30 minutes.

If you live in California, you might know why my joy was cut short.  The vote on Proposition 8 – The Elimination of the Right for Same-Sex couples to marry

For the past few months, after the California Supreme Court ruled a gay marriage ban unconstitutional in May 2008, gay marriages have been legally granted in California.  Yesterday, we voted to overturn that ruling, banning gay marriage once again.  Come on California.   The margin was much slimmer than in 2000 when we voted on this issue, so there has been some progress (probably in thanks to the positioning) but the fact that our state, a leader in equality and tolerance, has voted to remove equal rights, embarrases me a great deal.

Over the last few weeks, I have had extensive discussion with many people regarding Prop 8, some who agree with the measure and those who don’t.  What has always gotten to me is that people who disagree with gay marriage, do so because their religion tells them so.  This frustrates me for obvious reasons but I heard a better argument this year.  One of my good friends, who I respect a great deal, argued that it’s not fair for California to redefine marriage when the church was the one to create it.  She is right.  A public popular vote should not re-define anyones private religious principles.  But that’s not what we were voting on.  We were voting to re-define the State of California’s definition of marriage.  The bible doesn’t outline the State of California’s marriage tax benefits, health care laws, and inheritance rights.  We are voting on equal rights under the law. 

Because ”marriage” is a religious institution, perhaps the only answer is to eliminate the term from public legislation and move forward with one term that defines the state’s acknowledgement of the union of two people.  We cannot continue to have two definitions, one will always be superior, leaving those relationships without the title with an inferior regard.  It’s time to think outside the box.  This back and forth is not doing the job.

So to answer Obama’s question above…”What change will they see? What progress will we have made?”

I hope our children will experience freedom.  Real freedom.  Freedom to achieve a dream not only regardless of race, but regardless of gender, disability, religion, and sexual preference.  We are only one step closer than we were yesterday.  I have always felt discriminated against because I am a woman, I know those who feel the same because of a disability.  Prop 8 made it clear I am confined to live under the rules of another’s religion….and I can only imagine the devastation that must be felt waking up today in a gay family. 

President-elect Barack Obama said, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.”  I believe him.

I am hopeful we can figure this out.  Progress is progress, and I am thankful to have at least something to be proud of.

 Image Cred: San Francisco Sentinial

Part of the Solution

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children. 

-Native American Proverb

So…I was reading about politics (as I do everyday) and while I usually get a bit irritated, today my head almost exploded.  I’ve had enough.  This seems like the longest election season of all time.  Don’t get me wrong, I love reading political news and opinion and discussing it with my friends, but what I cannot stand is the lack of attention to the issues!   We talk about who is pregnant, who is black, who is old, and who is inexperienced.  But it seems our increasingly more important issues are being eclipsed by dangerously displaced media attention.  Which, by the way, is our fault…

To make matters worse, the only issue getting any love in the past weeks is the issue of abortion laws.  Really?  Should we be caught up on that right NOW?  We are losing our houses, our jobs our families, and our planet.   Now is not an appropriate time to be discussing this.  We need to make drastic changes in our country and abortion should NOT be on anybody’s priority list.

And why don’t we all care about our planet?  The thing that makes we wanna freak out is the fact that science has proven we are ruining our earth, yet some continue to deny it.  Why?  It’s the earth.  It’s not the death penalty, it’s not gay marriage.  There is no reason for anyone to roll their eyes when this topic is discussed.  It is our natural environment, our safety, and our quality of life – an issue that affects young and old, rich and poor, catholic and atheist.  Even if we aren’t having a climate crisis and this is all untrue, what is wrong with taking care of our planet just because it’s the right thing to do?  Hmmm?

ANYWAY – rant is over…back to my point…

I decided to quit just being angry and in my hour of irritation, I revisited a site I found a few days ago called We Can Solve it, an online community/website that designed to educate Americans on the climate crisis and the actions they can take to toward acheiving a very simple and practical solution.

The site outlines many action steps that we can do as citizens to improve environmental conditions.  I decided to take on action item #1 – To tell congress to end our addition to fossil fuels.  It took less than 15 minutes and the site outlined everything I needed to do.  Easy peasy!  How can you help, you ask??  Here is the link…  Please, please, please join me in being part of the solution.  All you have to do is click on the link and follow the instructions.

http://www.wecansolveit.org/content/congress/

I’ll keep you posted on the responses I get back from them  That’s always the exciting part!!