So, I was talking with the older gentleman from the south

[bijou]

glowing  (1000+ posts)        Sun Oct-12-08 07:22 PM
Original message
So, I was talking with the older gentleman from the south about marriage equaltiy.
 Advertisements [?]It has spanned two nights now. At first he was completely against it and thought it was wrong. He actually said something about judges and ruling from the bench. I had explained it as best I could to this gentleman.. I said the idea of our govt is checks and balances.. the judges ultimate dept is to rule whether or not they believe the laws are constituional or not. Making a difference between marriages of heterosexuals and homosexuals would be unconstitutional because it is creating a different set of rules for a society that is supposed to hold up equality.

Then I explained that for me, a 29yr old woman, I didn't have a problem with two men marrying or two women marrying, and I would teach my children that it is fine and its ok. I said think about it this way, I have always gone to school with children of all different colors.. it wasn't weird or odd or abnormal; it was just another fact of life. We learned to judge people by who they were and how they treated people. So, if I don't think that marriage between two men is wrong or two women is wrong, and my children aren't taught that it is wrong, then it just becomes a norm of society, right?

So, he thought about it over the course of the night and the day. Today he asked me again about it. His new concern was the children of these couples. He said that this one lesbian woman that he knew had a child and the child was kinda "weird". Most children I know are weird.. or go thru a period of time trying to figure out who they are.. just life in general... but I said, all in all, a family that provides love, guidance, and a family structure isn't going to ruin a child. AND a family that understands what it means to be so untolerated in society is more likely to allow a child to explore who they are within the context of safe means. Again, I went to school with a girl who had two moms.. It was odd at first only because it was new, but she was a cool kid, and her moms were parents like anyone else's parents... So, for me it was something that wasn't scary. Its something my children won't be scared of. AND eventually, though it may be a while before society is ever 100% tolerant of anything, marriage equality will be so normal that it will be an afterthought.

I think I changed the old man's mind a bit. Made him realize that people my age are NOT staying up late at night worrying about what may be going on in one of our friends bedrooms... AND certainly, I don't think it changes the marriage I have to my husband. I think I reduced his fear and "huh" factor... Perhaps I've made him understand that marriage equality isn't something to crusade against. Hey, maybe he'll even vote for Obama now? Who knows.

 

link

A gay bouncy, how fabulous!

[GOBUCKS]

By the third night, she had convinced the old Southern gentleman to put on a leather vest and spend the evening at a queer bar.

[MrsSmith]

By the third night, the gentleman had no doubt that this person's mind was closed solidly against seeing his viewpoint and, like a true gentleman, he backed away politely.  Poor guy.

[USA4ME]

glowing

So, if I don't think that marriage between two men is wrong or two women is wrong, and my children aren't taught that it is wrong,...

It's not up to you to decide whether anything is right or wrong, those things have already been decided long before you were ever born.  And now you're teaching your kids that there are no moral standards.  I feel sorry for them, they deserve better than you.

.

[JohnnyReb]

"Southern Gentleman" is key to this rather tame bouncy. Had it been a tobacco chewing, muddy 4X4 driving, 'coon hunting redneck, it would have been more interesting. ....still wouldn't have been true but the storyline would have had more .... uh ..... uh .... points for possible expansion.

[md11hydmec]

That thread at the DUmp was just sooooooooo gay!