It's time to turn anger to where it is deserved.
Two weeks ago, I wrote a satirical column entitled "In defense of traditional marriage." In it, I made the case against interracial marriages, citing health concerns, the Bible and other sources. The piece was taken and reprinted in the Iowa State Daily, and had a brief run of notoriety on Reddit.com, Gather.com and other sites. The response was frightening.
Facebook messages started coming in with titles such as "hey f---tard" and tweets started coming my way saying "i think you are disgusting." I've even heard that a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, after hearing it was satire¸ declared she is boycotting the Northern Iowan.
This is not to say I didn't receive letters in support. In fact, I was excited and humbled at the number of thank yous coming into my inbox. Most angry letters only needed a quick explanation before they apologized and the anger subsided.
Earlier this month, I attended an event hosted by the UNI Navigators where Matt Reisetter of the Iowa Family Policy Center discussed homosexuality and gay marriage. During the talk, he handed out a sheet of supposed secular reasons for opposing gay marriage. Most of the document can be found on the anti-marriage-equality Web site Let Us Vote Iowa under their talking points. It was infuriating. These were the same arguments used four decades earlier against interracial marriage.
During the question-and-answer period, I called Reisetter out. How could he reconcile the fact he was using the same arguments opponents of interracial marriage had used for decades? He avoided the comparison, claiming there was nothing in common. Oh really? Thus came my satirical article.
What I really want to address is the response. I have no problem with angry emails coming my way. I have a bulletin board full of angry replies to my Northern Iowan articles. I have spent my three years at UNI being a controversial figure and having a thick skin comes with that. What bothers me is, after hearing my side of the story, the anger of others usually subsided.
Here is what I would really like: if you were one of those who missed the satire and were furious at my piece, then heard my side of the story, don't calm down. Get angrier! The fight for interracial marriage has been won; same-sex marriage, on the other hand, has a long trek ahead of it. Thirty-one states have voted on gay marriage and all 31 have shot it down using the same arguments used against interracial marriages. That should infuriate you.
Where is that anger?! When I write a letter on interracial marriage, you jump onto Facebook and post about it, you tweet about it, you seek out the author and call them out. When every paper in the country is printing letters against gay marriage, when Matt Reisetter comes to campus and spews hate, what do you do? Your response should be even greater!
Our country seems to have gotten a fixation on respecting others' beliefs, at least when it's not about a settled matter like interracial marriage. This concept was demonstrated in the "Conservative Coming- Out Week" Facebook event by the UNI College Republicans.
UNI senior Eden Elias wrote, "I agree with gay marriage, but I choose to respect others (sic) opinions." No. Stop that.
Some things are just wrong and it's about time we realize that. Throwing acid in the face of a woman dressed immodestly is wrong. Period. Opposing interracial marriage is wrong. Period. Opposing marriage equality for homosexuals is wrong. Period.
We have tried this nice, get-along-with-everyone approach before. In fact, we used it in 31 states. It's about time we realize that attitude has never advanced civil rights. It's time we ruffle some feathers. It's time for us to get pissed off. It's time to piss others off. You don't have to respect bigotry, nor should you.
It's time to direct the anger where it needs to go. Next time you see an article against gay marriage or a speaker preaching against it, consider how your kids will view it.
Someday, some cocky college kid is going to write a satirical piece for a college paper against gay marriage. She will be flooded with disparaging comments telling her to stop writing. Readers will be aghast that someone could actually oppose gay marriage in this day and age. She will be reminded that love is love, and sexuality has nothing to do with it. Let's make that future into a reality today.
Discrimination is discrimination
Published: Monday, April 26, 2010
Updated: Monday, April 26, 2010 10:04
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By the way, to everyone involved, I appreciate dialogue on this topic. John S. Mill said the only way to get closer to the Truth is to have open discussion between opposing viewpoints.
I think the flaw in your logic is you said, "the responsibility to read the book rationally and logically is lost on many people" thus no one should read the Bible at all. Just because some people misinterpret Scripture (even if everyone currently on this planet misinterpreted Scripture) that is not a good argument against the Scripture itself. I think instead of doing away with holy books we should strive to intellectually understand them in their original context. I have found that the Bible is even more poetic and applicable to my life when I read it that way.
I also noticed that you made the same mistake Roger did...you used what the Bible READS to argue against it. That is circular logic and it is again taking the Bible literally from a 21st century American point of view. Perhaps what it really says in those verses is God gives us boudaries so we can know when we are acting in healthy ways and when we have stepped outside the boundary. I don't know...that's just an example of looking beyond the words on the page. What's between the lines is worth keeping.
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