Speech to Persuade About Prop 8 & 1 & General Homophobe Stupid

I don't know if this will help you any, but I'll go ahead and say it because it's how I feel about why we're discriminated against. Gay people in America get so much shit from the conservative religious groups because we let them. Think about it. When African-Americans finally had enough of their crap, they boycotted white-dominated businesses like busses and marched through the capital to demand full equality. And women had the suffrage movement, which lasted for decades. But the gays, we have nothing like that. Every once in a while we kind of march through Washington or kind of try to organize a day when we all don't go to work, but nothing ever happens. When the conservatives do something like Prop 8 or repeal gay marriage in Maine, we should all be out on the streets protesting.

 

The 14th amendment explicitly states that all US Citizens are GUARANTEED equal protection under the law. Prop 8 REMOVED an existing right for gays to get married. It also created 4+ different classes of citizens in CA..Straight married couples, 18,000 married gay people (who got their license before Prop 8..their marriages ARE still recognized), out of state married gay couples, gay Californians in domestic partnerships, straight Californians in domestic partnerships, etc..It's messy.

The proponents of Prop 8 say that "gays can still marry someone of the opposite sex" and that "they have domestic partnerships." Let me say to that: WHY ON EARTH would you force someone to marry someone who they are not attracted to? It's only going to ruin BOTH of their lives and end up breaking hearts..The same goes for shot-gun marriages...Parents need to butt out of their kids' lives-who really cares if they are having a baby out of wedlock? Sorry, I am ranting.. To my second point: civil unions and domestic partnerships are NOT marriage. We've tried "separate but equal" in this country, and it does NOT work.

There is also the 1st amendment that says congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (and a bunch of other stuff...ie, freedom of religion, free speech, freedom of the press). So, Congress (or a ballot initiative) cannot make a law, like Prop 8, that is entirely based off of a handful of religious group's ancient texts.

You could also make the point that there are SEVERAL religious groups who WANT to perform same-sex marriages: Unitarian Universalists, United Church of Christ, Lutherans, Episcopalians (the Anglican Church in America), Quakers, and maybe Reform Jews..And I am sure that I am missing some. Don't THOSE religious groups get a say in who should be able to get married in this country? Right now, the Mormons, Catholics, and Evangelicals are the ones making things difficult for gays...What makes their religions better? Why is the US government allowing their beliefs to influence State affairs? (PS, I was raised Catholic and have been in Catholic school for 12 years..college included so I feel like I have a certain right to attack their dogma in particular)


So, basically, Congress unfortunately cannot force people to change their views on homosexuality, but they also cannot use a religious text in order to discriminate against a minority (gays) just because a "majority" wants it (and I guarantee you, every year as more and more older people die, and more and more younger people turn 18, the tide is turning HEAVILY in our favor..not many people under the age of 30 think that being gay is wrong or a choice).

There is also the matter of how Prop 8 passed. The Mormons and the Knights of Columbus spread lies and used excuses like "it will hurt children" to pass the proposition.. They used fear to scare people into supporting them (just like George Bush used fear to scare people into believing that Iraq was behind 9/11...some people still believe that as a matter of fact! Stupid rednecks..) Psychologists have shown that children are NOT hurt by same sex parents. They grow up to be just as well-adjusted to society as any other class of children..If it's the sexual relationship between the same sex parents the bigots are worried about..well, when you were a child, did you have any idea what your parents did in bed? No! Kids do not understand sex, they understand LOVE.

What I think will happen: Prop 8 will most likely be repealed by the same California voters that approved it in the first place in this fall's elections.. Judge Walker in San Fran will most likely overturn Prop 8 as being unconstitutional before that though..There is no other interpretation..It is clear FACT that the proposition violated US law. The Mormons will appeal to the Supreme Court, who will also need to find Prop 8 unconstitutional since there is no other way to look at it...And gay marriage will finally be legal in all 50 states! Even the ones that don't want it!!! Yay!!

I can't think of anything else right now, but it's late, and I need to go to bed. Good luck with the speech!

Edit: I also find it interesting that no one in California government wants to help Prop 8 remain in tact. Schwarzenneger doesn't even support Prop 8! Neither does the attorney general! If that does not speak VOLUMES, I don't know what does.

 

Well..for one..you can say it is a choice but it is made by our parents when they decide to have a kid..we're born like this damnit..not to mention we are one of the few remaining minorities that are discriminated against on a daily basis whether directly or indirectly. bring up the part of the constitution that states "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." and it does not say ''all men EXCEPT FOR..." how all of this going on right now is so unconstitutional that those opposing our marriages should be thrown in prison..(sorry got a lil fired up there:dry but yeah..i'd start with atleast that..throw in a few examples as you see fit..etc

 

Here's a website that might help you http://www.arguingequality.org/