People Get Ready

Well, just when I thought there might be a fighting chance that Floridians could do the amazing and refuse to place a question before voters to constitutionally ban LGBT persons from having same-gender wedding ceremonies, Floridians 4 Marriage managed to scare enough moles out of their earthen homes to sign their petitions.

A total of 649,346 people put their John Hancock's on the petition papers...about 38,000 more than they needed to get their question of intolerance and hatred on the ballot.

What does this mean? Well, lots of things. First, it means that once again the LGBT community will be used as the great, big, scary boogie man to frighten the wits out of the witless into going to the polls in November to cast a vote *against* their neighbors. The bonus for that (and the main reason fundementalists would want this on the ballot) is that those same witless people will likely cast votes for Republican candidates, especially for the presidency of the United States.

And I would predict it will also mean an escalation in anti-gay violence...both the physical attacks on those who are gay or perceived to be gay...and the verbal attacks that don't leave scars on the outside, but rather on the inside. This is what has happened in other states with such anti-gay constitutional questions on the ballot.

So, what now? For the LGBT community, it's simple: come out!!! We can not hide ourselves at a time when our visibility can possibly change minds, or make someone really feel uncomfortable taking a position against somebody they think "is a good worker, person, friend, etc. etc."

For those of you reading who are "non-gay", please take a moment to ask yourself these questions: what do I gain from putting language in the Florida constitution that marriage, or the substantial equivalent thereof (read: civil unions), is reserved only for the heterosexual community? How does this "protect" your marriage? If you are not married, do you fear a gay or lesbian couple who have been together for years...or even weeks....will get something you can't get if they get married and you, either by choice or circumstance, are single?

If any of these questions...or others you may have thought of yourself...seem absurd, or make you angry, what are you gonna do about it? Privately tell your LGBT friends that you think this is ridiculous? (Hint: we already know it's ridiculous!) Or are you going to take the risk of taking a stand with us against this amendment? Will you speak your truth to the witless when they bear false witness against your LGBT neighbors?

As Sweet Honey in the Rock sings: Would you harbor me? Would I harbor you?