Texas Amendment passes
 

So I hear, as of about an hour ago: the TX amendment to constitutionally ban same sex marriage AND deny legal recognition to unmarried couples has passed.

I am not shocked, but I am disappointed and very sad. Stats show 43,000 same sex couples in TX who still will not have any legal protections or recognition.

Bad News Indeed
 

Thats sad, indeed. Ohio is similar - marriage restricted to heterosexual couples only & lack of recognition for civil unions. Fortunantly, it has had at least one legal misfire - a hetero couple were living together, but not married, and were in legal battle over property rights, etc. They and many others are currently suing the state... Who knows where this where go, but I'm optimistic same-sex marriage for all in the USA will be a reality in the future (hopefully, the near future :-).

Afterall, as SoulForce leads & teaches through the examples of Gandhi & MLK Jr. We will reach & get to the Promised Land...

Indeed, we must fight our way through the wilderness to get there, but we will get there...

Some hope
 

I hope this is a bit more comforting. . . Look back in history and see how long it took (and what it took) for slavery to be abolished, women's right to vote, and accepting interracial marriages. It's doubtful that the world will stop progressing now, so it IS only a matter of time. Just keep working towards it.

gay marriage amendment
 

My wife and I are going today to talk to a gay lawyer here in Houston, to see what we can do to protect ourselves, in the event something happens to either of us. It is an utter abomination that this country time and again refuses to extend the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to some of its citizens. You are right, it will take time, but why does it have to take time? Have we not learned from history? Do we just give lip service to the pledge of allegiance and to the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence? I am tempted to just move to Canada, but I am an American and I want to see this injustice ended. If I leave, it will be someone else who gets the job done. No, I can't take pride in it, if I don't take part in it.
Let's band together, be passionate about this and stop letting the legalistic, fundamentalists rule this country that was based and founded on liberty and freedom!!!!

Omigosh, definitely draw up some legal documents to protect yourselves in the event of an emergency! The couples I know who ended in tragedy had not done so, or it may have been prevented. And of course, if we had equality in marriage, the extra legal expenses and hassle would all be unnecessary.

You're right about staying here and fighting for what is right. This is the time for that fight, and it IS win-able. It takes so much time because for whatever reason human nature works that way. . .takes very slowly to change. I don't know why. I just see that it does.

To all who worked in Texas
 

Posted variations of this to a couple people I interact with on blogs - thought I'd share it with the larger soulforce community.

I want you to know I've been there - after my state (KS) - did about the same thing earlier this year despite all our work (I even testified to the legislature...)

It's okay.

rant, scream, be angry. You've a right to it.

cry, grieve, be saddened. You've a right to it.

rest awhile, then we'll keep working - we have an obligation to ourselves and others.

but most of all find joy, peace, love, happiness
- You've a right to those emotions too.

Know that you've created the space to let more and more people speak out on this issue - that as frustrating as the silence of those who should have been willing to stand with you - each step has opened a few more minds and hearts.

Know that you have friends and allies, and that the number of both is growing. Know that the burden is shared.

Know that YOU are loved.
Tell the others you know who are hurting that THEY are loved.

Namaste.

Oppression
 

After Texas voted to ban gay marriage with both an amendment to the Constititution and a law back in 2003, I am refusing to pledge allegiance to a flag that pays lip service only to the phrase, "liberty and justice for all' when it really means "liberty and justice for all-except African Americans, Hispanics, gays and lesbians, women, Muslims, etc" It is my personal silent protest. I will not ever wear red, white and blue, or pledge allegiance to a country that discriminates against those who are different from those in power. This country was founded by people who sought and fought for the right to worship and live how they saw fit. I do not support the war in Iraq. Those brave soldiers are not fighting for my rights as a tax-paying, responsible citizen of this country who happens to be a lesbian- I have none. They are fighting for the image of George Bush as the defender of the free world. Yeah, it's free if you are not gay or black, Hispanic, a woman or God forbid,Jewish or Arabic. It is a waste of their time, their efforts, and their lives to put themselves on the line for his conservative agenda that discriminates against everyone who isn't White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant and conservative. If they are going to bend to the political agenda set forth by fear-based, judgmental and narrow minded right wing fundamentalists, then they need to amend the Constititution of the United States to exclude everyone except themselves, because in effect that is what they want to do. Also, rewrite the pledge.

We just all have to comtinue to be patient and work together in time we will win. "People will fight you. People will ignore you. They will laugh at you, and then you will win." -Gandhi

Just a note for those who weren't aware of it, this might cheer you up - "civil unions" for couples irrespective of gender will become legal in the UK on December 5th, giving next of kin and inheritance rights to spouses which, according to what I have read, are equal to those conferred by legal marriage. A whole lot of old laws have been reworded to include same-gender spouses (including, apparently, the laws governing the inheritance of slaughterhouses!)

I know the government isn't using the word "Marriage", but it's a step in the right direction, and even if the government doesn't call it marriage, I reckon everyone else will. The funny thing is that I haven't heard a big outcry against this change in the law here - in fact, I haven't heard any outcry. I don't know if it's because we don't have the same kind of "religious right" here, or the government's been so busy draughting controversial bills recently that this one has just gone unnoticed. But it looks like gay marriage in some form is here to stay.