05/10/2012
In the movie "The Matrix Revolutions", one of those wonderfully simple but incredibly complex lines that is delivered hit me this week when I heard all of the back and forth about MARRIAGE vs. CIVIL UNIONS. The lines, delivered by Rama-Kandra (a program in the world of the Matrix) when responding to Neo, golike this:
NEO: I just have never.....
Rama-Kandra: .....heard a program speak of love?
NEO: It's a...human emotion.
Rama-Kandra: No, it is a word. What matters is the connection the word implies. I see that you are in love. Can you tell me what you would give to hold on to that connection?
NEO: Anything.
Rama-Kandra: then perhaps the reason you're here is not so different from the reason I'm here.
Connection.
Love.
Emotion.
What it implies.
So, why did this scene hit me between the eyes this week? Well.....let's hear some other words.
"When these issues were raised in my state of Massachusetts I indicated my view, which is I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender....."
"when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same sex relationships, who are raising kids together....."
"gay marriage is a matter of conscience. It is the responsibility of states to regulate marriage as they see fit".
Swap the words marriage, relationship, union, in any combination you might imagine, does the meaning really change?
So, what is the difference between a marriage and a civil union. If you look at meaning, civil can mean refined. It also can reference politeness. Marriage comes from maritus, which means joined or "yoked" together. Slightly joking, I'd rather be in a civil union than bound in a relationship by the throat with no way out. Not that my marriage is like that at all, I'm just illustrating the absurdity of the perceived difference.
Most of the conflict comes from the word, or meaning. It really is just a word. If our representatives across the country were more focused on the issue instead of playing with the meaning or what they think is the meaning, we'd get much farther along in our discourse.
Is this anything close to the Emancipation Proclamation? Slavery? No, let's be very clear about that. But it is something that should be dealt with in as compassionate a way as possible. We are supposed to be a civilized society, we want all people to be treated equally, we were all created equally according to our own country's founding documents, we look for all to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, am I to be the judge of what makes others happy? I hope when I reach my own judgement day that I am able to stand there with my head high and be able to truly know that I have treated my fellow man as I wished to be treated, without bias to time, talent, or treasure.
I hope we can all do the same.....
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Marriage.....have we lost touch?
05/08/2012
I sit here very late at night, should be working, but really am disturbed to see the vote in North Carolina for same sex marriage and the even more closely watched bill in Colorado (since I live here), and I really can't understand the desire in this day and time to subject any group to a bias of inequality. I guess I'm most disturbed by the fact that I am a religious person that also believes that the tenet to treat each person as you'd like to be treated is one of the most overwhelmingly important yet under appreciated thoughts that any person could come up with. We all inherently realize it (at least I hope so) but to see the extreme amount of bias presented on both sides of the political aisle really deflates me. I want to believe in our system politic, but so often it gets in the way.
I guess the other reason it disappoints me so much when I see this kind of hatred,and yes, I'll say it again, hatred, for another human being is that the side that usually is the more vehemently against this approach is the side that says they are the moral representation of god in our democratic society. Hogwash. They have forgotten to read the new testament, and are living and dealing with a god that is not compassionate, does not forgive, and certainly doesn't reflect the view of not throwing the first stone.
I hope those of you that read any news, have any ability to voice your opinion, or stand for what is not only right but compassionate, reach out to those in your state legislatures and let them know that enough is enough,and that it is time for them to change their tune.
For those of you in Colorado who want to reach out, here is a link to the entire list of your state representatives. Please let them know how you feel!
http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2011A/csl.nsf/DirectoryHou?openframeset
I sit here very late at night, should be working, but really am disturbed to see the vote in North Carolina for same sex marriage and the even more closely watched bill in Colorado (since I live here), and I really can't understand the desire in this day and time to subject any group to a bias of inequality. I guess I'm most disturbed by the fact that I am a religious person that also believes that the tenet to treat each person as you'd like to be treated is one of the most overwhelmingly important yet under appreciated thoughts that any person could come up with. We all inherently realize it (at least I hope so) but to see the extreme amount of bias presented on both sides of the political aisle really deflates me. I want to believe in our system politic, but so often it gets in the way.
I guess the other reason it disappoints me so much when I see this kind of hatred,and yes, I'll say it again, hatred, for another human being is that the side that usually is the more vehemently against this approach is the side that says they are the moral representation of god in our democratic society. Hogwash. They have forgotten to read the new testament, and are living and dealing with a god that is not compassionate, does not forgive, and certainly doesn't reflect the view of not throwing the first stone.
I hope those of you that read any news, have any ability to voice your opinion, or stand for what is not only right but compassionate, reach out to those in your state legislatures and let them know that enough is enough,and that it is time for them to change their tune.
For those of you in Colorado who want to reach out, here is a link to the entire list of your state representatives. Please let them know how you feel!
http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2011A/csl.nsf/DirectoryHou?openframeset
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