Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Those damn signs

For a while it seemed like the pro Amendment One people weren’t going to say a word. We should have known better. With a week to go before the election, their T.V. commercials abound, and their vote-for-marriage signs are popping up all over the city. My part of town is still flooded with vote-against signs, which is one of the reasons why I love this part of Charlotte. But I know I’m living in a bubble as soon as I venture off the beaten path.

Those vote-for signs bug me. Every time I see one, I feel a little stab around my heart. But I know there are people who disagree with me and they have as much right to put a sign in their yard as I do. It’s not personal.

I’ve noticed that these signs are having a profound effect on some of the people I care about, though. It’s more than a stab around the heart for them. It’s a cannon ball through the chest. It’s more than people disagreeing with them. It’s personal.

Imagine that you’re a man or woman who is in a committed, loving relationship with someone of your same gender. You have been together for decades. You have a lovely home. You have raised children together. You would be legally married if the State allowed for it; you even may have had a marriage ceremony in the church. And then imagine being forced to look at in-your-face messages everywhere you turn that tell you your love, and your life, is all wrong. Imagine that, and try not to take it personally.

My soul is deeply grieved over this. Whether Amendment One passes or not, it is already hurting people.

1 comment:

  1. We sold our house on February 2nd and moved into our RV. Because I had to have some unexpected surgery we are still in the Charlotte area but have moved down near Ballantyne to be close to our daughter and her family. Since we are still in NC we really wanted to vote in the primary. We went to early vote yesterday at the library down here and felt like we were in a foreign country as we waited in line and later talked to Pittinger's son who was outside campaigning! His obvious presumption that anyone in their right mind would vote for the ammendment was very disconcerting, but I was glad Rob and I could be 2 strong votes against it. BTW, since I am unaffliated, I took the opportunity to vote Republican so that I could actually vote against Bill James!! What fun to have the chance to register my concerns!

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