MO - December 2008 - (Page 6) letter from the editor Warning: I’m on a soapbox! Or maybe it’s a blather … Two steps forward, and one step backward. That’s how I would describe the events of the last few months. Oh, and heart breaking. Just as we begin to make significant progress toward ending discrimination in this country, we’re reminded that the forces working against equality are powerful, and ignorant. And to couple power with ignorance is a terrifying thought. It’s inconceivable to me that any California (or Arizona, or Florida) voter who has a friend (or friends) in the LGBT community would come to the conclusion that allowing marriage for same-sex couples would do ANY harm whatsoever to marriage as an institution. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and comes down to just plain ignorance. I have to believe that it’s ignorance because to believe the alternative is to believe that everyone who voted in favor of legislation like California’s Proposition Eight is evil. To fully understand the issue, and to know members of the LGBT community, but to still vote to deny basic civil rights to them—to an entire class of people—would be evil. I know it used to be. According to one dictionary, “ignorance” is an ‘unawareness of something, often of something important;’ whereas “evil” is described as ‘profoundly immoral or wrong; deliberately causing great harm, pain, or upset.’ Let’s hope it is just ignorance; we know how to deal with that. So, time to educate. Let’s have a war on ignorance in this country. The responsibility lies with each of us. If you’re not out to everyone you know, you SHOULD be. (And I don’t use the word “should” lightly; it’s so judgmental and moralistic.) If people you know don’t understand why marriage is such a big deal, explain it to them. If you don’t know why marriage is such a big deal, find out. Talk to anyone from Equal Rights Washington. They’ll be happy to educate you. You don’t have to want to get married yourself to support the notion that you should (there it is again) have the right to marry. In fact, use the holidays as a place to start educating those around you. Take a boy- or girlfriend to your office’s holiday party; or to any of the nearly 70 holiday events we’ve sniffed out for our cover story this month; or send out holiday cards with a picture of you and a loved one in matching sweaters, arms encircling each other’s waists, with big toothy grins. Maybe write on it: “All we want for Christmas this year is to be treated as equals.” Michael Lehman Editor-in-Chief editor@moSeattle.com capitol hill medical Gay Pro viders + Gay Pa tients = Health y Relation ships 206.568.6320 now accepting patients! www.capitolhillmedical.com David Holt, ARNP Family Practice Late appointments available. 6 celebrating seattle’s gay community http://www.capitolhillmedical.com
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