Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Gay Rights at Last?

I guess the fulfillment of human rights must follow certain paths -- establishment of a just government followed by the implementation of specific rights to all sub groups in a particular society. During my lifetime I have watched successive groups making their way past oppressive barriers. Jews had to open the doors to both prestige colleges and communities where restrictive covenants built into local deeds barred them from buying restricted properties. African Americans and some other recent immigrant arrivals are still struggling for just treatment of all -- check out our imprisonment stats.

One of the big breakthroughs for African Americans (and some others) was the Loving v. Virginia case of 1967 which legalized marriages against the bar of miscegenation laws:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia

The recent decisions of Iowa and Vermont to legalize gay marriages seems to follow the Loving pattern. What now is needed is a national judgment settling the issue for all. It may take some time with our primitive religious bigotries riding high in some communities, but hopefully the day of justice will come. Many if not most of us have gay friends and some of our most talented and productive people are among them.

I recall a friend pointing out early in the civil rights era that those of us who cared for justice should speak out -- loudly or quietly if one prefers. But let's start tracking down our pols at least and make them justify their bigotries, if that's where they still are.

Loving, of course, was an apt name for that classic case. Perhaps some appropriate words and thoughts can be achieved with gay rights, too.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
--
Ed Kent 212-665-8535 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CollegeConversation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PeaceEfforts
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/440neighborhood
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StudentConcerns
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AcademicFreedom
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PrivacyRights
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Israel_Palestine
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FindingHumaneJobs
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OurStupidEconomy
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net

posted by Ed Kent at 12:29 PM

1 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Hello!

I am a Journalism/Business Student from Germany, studying in Edinburgh and writing my dissertation this year.
In my dissertation I concentrate on private news blogs and due to some researches I found your blog and am from that day on a frequent reader.
In my research I try to find out what motivates people, like you, to write about events and news of the world and to give there comments, so I thought I would address you personally and would be more than glad, if you could maybe answer me just very few questions?

Why did you start to use a blog in the first place?
What is your motivation/Why do you write about news and give your comments?

I am also concentrating on the gender, since many researchers stated that news blogs are usually maintained by male writers, whereas female writers usually write about their private life. During my research I proved this isn't quite the fact, maybe you have to say something to that as well?

I would be so grateful if you could answer me, since it is very hard to find out about motivation without addressing people personally.

Thanks a lot in advance.
(If you would mail me the answer, I would be more than happy :) )

4:29 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home