Never Too Busy For Bigotry
It seems my friend, screenwriter David Bottrell ("Kingdom Come" and other movies), is one of those people who's of special interest to our fundamentalist-in-chief -- that busy guy who's never too busy to make a special effort to see that gays and lesbians remain second-class citizens. Here's what David had to say about that:
Well, I guess I should feel honored in some odd way. Itís not every day the President of the United States announces his support for a constitutional amendment specifically designed to take rights away from ME personally. Who knew that the President could afford to take time away from the troubled economy and the war in Iraq to deliver such a calculated slap to my face?What a sad state of affairs. Perhaps Iím naÔve, but I continue to believe that there exists out there somewhere a quiet majority of intelligent, compassionate heterosexual people who understand that gayness is not a choice. Surely that same group also understands that as tax-paying, law-abiding citizens, we gay folks are not greedily seeking ìmoreî rights, just the same basic civil rights as our heterosexual brothers and sisters. Long ago, marriage was made into a civil institution for a very good reason -- to strengthen society -- and as a civil institution; shouldnít it be available to all who care to enter into it?
By endorsing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, Mr. Bush has sadly aligned himself with that same loud-mouthed, unappealing group of people who always want to use ignorance, bad theology and fear to grab headlines when we as a country have much bigger fish to fry (like national security and the environment, for example).
Call me Pollyanna, but I believe the battle for same-sex marriage will ultimately be won ñ but not by activists, liberal judges or even by gay people. In the end, it will be won by compassionate, fair-minded heterosexual people who will finally come to realize that you canít start a sentence with ìWell, I have nothing against Gay peopleÖî without proving just the opposite. Not that Iím any great biblical scholar, but it seems to me that the two most consistent themes in the Bible are to ìlove Godî and to ìlove thy neighbor as yourself.î So perhaps as this debate rages on, it would behoove us all to keep in mind that to love oneís neighbor is to wish them the exact same happiness and fulfillment in their lives that you experience in your own (including the right to honorably marry the person you love).
--David Dean Bottrell, Los Angeles
I definitely think gays should be allowed to marry. Just not each other. Kidding!
Is it okay to be annoyed by all the rah-rah over it, though? "Oh, look, they're getting married, how wonderful!" It's like, good for them and everything, but I can't wait to see the first gay divorce.
Jim Treacher at February 26, 2004 8:14 AM
Jim -- It is SO okay to be annoyed by the rah-rah over it. As a gay guy who hasn't had much success in relationships, I take some solace in the fact that so many of the guys in those SF wedding photos are, frankly, downright bovine. Fall in love and look what happens! I'd rather keep my girlish figure.
Lena at February 26, 2004 11:44 PM