Olbermann: Gay marriage is a question of love
If you voted for this Proposition or support those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because, truly, I do not understand. Why does this matter to you? What is it to you? In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option. They don't want to deny you yours. They don't want to take anything away from you. They want what you want—a chance to be a little less alone in the world.Only now you are saying to them—no. You can't have it on these terms. Maybe something similar. If they behave. If they don't cause too much trouble. You'll even give them all the same legal rights—even as you're taking away the legal right, which they already had. A world around them, still anchored in love and marriage, and you are saying, no, you can't marry. What if somebody passed a law that said you couldn't marry?
I keep hearing this term "re-defining" marriage. If this country hadn't re-defined marriage, black people still couldn't marry white people. Sixteen states had laws on the books which made that illegal in 1967. 1967.
The parents of the President-Elect of the United States couldn't have married in nearly one third of the states of the country their son grew up to lead. But it's worse than that. If this country had not "re-defined" marriage, some black people still couldn't marry black people. It is one of the most overlooked and cruelest parts of our sad story of slavery. Marriages were not legally recognized, if the people were slaves. Since slaves were property, they could not legally be husband and wife, or mother and child. Their marriage vows were different: not "Until Death, Do You Part," but "Until Death or Distance, Do You Part." Marriages among slaves were not legally recognized.
You know, just like marriages today in California are not legally recognized, if the people are gay.
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Comments (17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-8JxQY-RXI&feature=related
Comment #1 Posted by: Love | November 11, 2008 07:15 AM
Wow! There is no one on the right that can hold a candle. I'm very glad MSNBC has re-upped is contract for another 4 years.
Comment #2 Posted by: spk | November 11, 2008 10:43 AM
Wow. Thanks for posting this, Tyler.
Comment #3 Posted by: Sally | November 11, 2008 11:45 AM
I love Keith Olbermann! And if you haven't checked out Rachel Maddow - be sure to tune in one of these evenings!
Comment #4 Posted by: LTOR | November 11, 2008 11:52 AM
Olbermann, SIR, is one pundit up with which I'll put, SIR, anytime. Thank you for posting this particularly poignant piece.
- LS
Comment #5 Posted by: Precious Perfect | November 11, 2008 12:10 PM
I assume you are channeling your inner Ben Affleck, Lisa?? Wasn't he terrific?
Comment #6 Posted by: LTOR | November 11, 2008 12:30 PM
Yes! His Alec Baldwin wasn't bad either! But I digress. I was glad to see Olbermann weighing in on this issue. I just wish there had been more of this months ago.
Comment #7 Posted by: LS | November 11, 2008 12:38 PM
Thank you Tyler for bringing our attention to this excellent and respectful commentary. Amazing is clearly the right word for this.
This topic has been weighing on me for some time and I have finally drafted a blog post of my own on gay marriage. If you are interested, please hop over to Love, Equal Rights, and Gay Marriage
Comment #8 Posted by: Kenley | November 11, 2008 04:22 PM
Thank you, Kenley, your blog post expresses how I feel too. I have had ongoing discussions (both before and after the election) with family members and friends who voted Yes on Prop 8. I even read them Keith Olbermann's commentary. They appear to be unmoved. It seems counter-productive to get into heated arguments, so I have asked them to please talk to some gay couples and hear first hand why they want to be legally married.
Comment #9 Posted by: Suza | November 11, 2008 04:53 PM
Oh, Zen, that is so NOT zen.
Comment #10 Posted by: frida cormorant | November 11, 2008 07:08 PM
My neighbor just informed me that sometime between last night and this morning, someone planted a "Yes on 8" sign on our lawn. He confessed to having tossed it out in an effort to shield us from the obvious hurt it would cause. Our "No on 8" signs were discarded following the election, so whoever perpetrated this action likely saw them at some point. I'm hoping it's neighborhood kids and not an organized effort, thought I would see if anyone else experienced such a prank. If not the kids, then I say grow up, whoever you are.
Comment #11 Posted by: alex | November 11, 2008 07:25 PM
That's awful, Alex.
Our No on 8 signs are still in the window along with a new handmade sign that asks "Did you vote to take away my civil rights?". I must confess to being a bit concerned about vandalism as a response, but so far so good.
Comment #12 Posted by: Tanya | November 11, 2008 07:38 PM
I still have my NO sign in my garage window. I have felt no compelling reason to take it down.
Comment #13 Posted by: LS | November 11, 2008 07:44 PM
Some good news in Connecticut:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27677272/
Comment #14 Posted by: LS | November 12, 2008 09:54 AM
alex, I'd like to meet you. I'm going to take a leap of faith and offer my email address, with the hope that despite my recent animosity with any number of people on this post, at least this aspect of my privacy will be respected. email: temp2233 at sbcglobal dot net
Comment #15 Posted by: heather | November 12, 2008 10:44 AM
Olbermann's a genius. Great post!!!
Jock
Comment #16 Posted by: Jock Doubleday | November 19, 2008 12:27 PM
link to Maureen Dowd's column about this issue (NY Times 11/25/08)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/opinion/23dowd.html?_r=1
I enjoyed the privilege of meeting Maureen at UCSB after her lecture (11/19/08) ...
my text message to Maureen >>> YAA ! you are awesome ...
she told me she would love to visit Ojai sometime soon ...
stay tuned for further developments ...
Comment #17 Posted by: vickie | November 23, 2008 11:40 PM