I am so ashamed of some of my family members - re: Prop 8

[Triana]

They live in Cali and are joyous that it passed and foaming at the mouth because the ACLU is taking up the cause of fighting it.

"They don't NEED to get married!" "They just want the money!" "That crap about not being able to visit someone in the hospital is just an excuse!"

:wtf:

I don't argue with them. Would only end up in a HUGE fight and a lot of damage.

What the HELL is the matter with people that they HATE GLBT people having the same damn rights as anyone else? YEA it's about money, retirement, wills, and yep, about being able to visit someone you live who's in critical condition. The SAME damn rights as EVERYONE ELSE.

Why the resentment and spitting and fuming? What is it taking away from THEM for GLBT people to have the same rights as they do? I can't see how it hurts anyone else.

Jeeeeeeeeeeze!

[Maat]

1. Yes, I have nutty relatives myself.

I dedicated many, many hours to the No-On-8 campaign. I explained how a constitution was meant to guarantee and protect rights, not eliminate them - to no avail. These idiots voted 'yes' anyway, and, I didn't talk to them much before - I'm going to probably virtually end any connection with them.

[Triana]

2. I have to go there on t-giving...likely the subject won't come up.

If it does, well, there's just no point in trying.

Funny thing is, I think one of my cousins is gay. I really do. I wish he'd come out if he is! His mom, (my aunt) is dying of cancer and he may be waiting till she's gone so as not to shake up the family right now. I love my aunt and am going to see her before she's gone. I love them all, but I cannot grok this narrow-minded hatred - or the real reasons behind it. Religion? "God says it's wrong?" - maybe that's it. (of course "God" said no such thing but...)

Bleah. It just really makes me ashamed. But I'm going to see my aunt one last time - and that's the reason I'm going.

[Maat]

3. Hang in there!

[Uncle Sinister]

4. Must disagree

My dad has known I was gay for over 30 years. He has never waivered in his love, support, and acceptance (both for me and my partners). My current partner is in his will. He fully supports civil unions, and equal protection for all. Because of his religious beliefs, he does not support gay marriage.

Of course, I disagree with him. But I do not doubt his intelligence, sincerity, or compassion.

The percentage of "Yes on 8" who actually hate or fear gays is probably 20-30%. The other 70-80% who voted yes are normal, decent people who disagree with us. Hating and despising them won't help our cause one single bit.

[Triana]

5. Ummm - these are my family. I do not hate or despise them...

...I wrote (read my posts in this thread) that I love them. But I do not understand (they are among the 20-30%) THEIR hatred of GLBT people.

[Lil Missy]

6. "They just want the money!" ????

What the HELL??? What money??

:wtf:

[Triana]

7. SS bennies, retirement money - those things that a spouse gets when the partner ...

...passes away. Insurance money, that sort of thing - I ASSUME that's what they meant.

But - who knows!

I couldn't stomach the bitterness, hatred, anger, and resentment from them long enough to ask. Frankly, I didn't want to know, and don't care because it's a bogus argument - a pretense for the attitude of "we just HATE gay people!". They have to have an "acceptable" EXCUSE to hate them (besides just being narrow-minded bigots) and that's one of the ones they toss out there.

They call Ellen Degeneres "Ellen Degenerate". I mean, they're my relatives but they really need some damn CLUES and they NEED to be honest with THEMSELVES about their revulsion and the REAL reasons behind it. I wish I knew what to say to them to at least shut them down when they start that crap. But - anything I said would piss them off royally and result in much revulsion and offense. Hell, they'd likely not speak to me for a decade.