Florida has lost its collective mind. Seriously, I don’t care if you’re a conservative, religious zealot, or just a prejudiced homophobe. One law banning gay marriage should be enough to appease you! But nope, on Valentine’s Day, a coalition of various religious institutions announced its petition to get an amendment banning gay marriage in the state constitution. So…here’s the message I’m getting from that: “Today is a day where we appreciate all those people that we love so much. But wait, not you two guys…you’re lovin’ a little too much. In fact, it’s a detriment to my ability to love! Stop it!”
Nevermind, I don’t think any of the boneheads involved in this petition could use a 9th grade vocabulary word like “detriment.”
What is the point in introducing the same law?
In my opinion, there is none. And you know who agrees with me? Jeb Bush. Surprise, surprise. The Director of Equality Florida put the true spirit behind this petition into light: ”They have chosen Valentine’s Day to make their cruel and bigoted message clear, that our love and our relationships are inferior to theirs. That some families are more valued than others. That some people should be branded as second-class citizens.”
I’d appreciate it if those out there who are anti-gay could at least respect that a law is already on the books and try not to shove it in our faces that the majority of Floridians think gay people are inferior. In fact, your time might be better spent in the (futile) attempt at building a case that gay marriage in any way shape or form infringes on your civil rights. Think about it, you’re gonna look mighty stupid when Martin Luther King, Jr.’s equivalent comes around to organize a movement (so far the closest thing the gay community has had are Rosie and Ellen).
If this amendment comes to a national vote, there is no doubt in my mind it will pass, as almost every other amendment to the Florida constitution does. At this rate, I’m surprised interracial marriage is still legal.
Margaret Scott can be contacted at m.scott2@umsis.miami.edu.