-- Alex Irwin on why he and his partner stay in Idaho rather than move across the border to Washington State for marriage equality.
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I applaud him, his partner, and every independent, progressive and democrat in Red States. I get why you stay, I just know I couldn't do it and still live in "community".....Bless you all.....
He's making a huge assumption, namely that he can accomplish something from within. There comes a time when you have to realize that it's too late for positive change from within. Many people in Germany in the 1930s learned that lesson the hard way.
Well, at least we name-checked the Nazis in record time. Sometimes it's appropriate to invoke Nazis, but this isn't it.
Irwin's logic is sound. Hopefully, DOMA will be struck down by June. When that happens, there will still be many state laws and state constitutional provisions outlawing same-sex marriage. Legislators in those states aren't going clean up their laws on their own. The only way that will change is by pressure from within. There needs to be married same-sex couples in those states pushing to get hopefully-soon-to-be unconstitutional state laws struck off the books or those states will simply continue to go their hateful ways.
The hell it isn't appropriate! Even if DOMA is struck down, what will the full nature of the opinion be? How much real effect will it have on the American fascist state governments? The last time I checked, Roe v. Wade was still the law of the land, but look how easily red states have, in practice, made it inordinately difficult if not outright impossible to get safe abortions in those states. The Personally Virtuous "It can't happen here" crowd has the de facto suicidal tendency to ignore the ugly historical reality that it isn't necessary for evil to gain ascendency in a nation even if it is not a majority. They have a bizarre faith in the efficacy of their Personal Virtue to protect them. "Vanity of vanities..."
You are obviously reacting to some other thing.
Pfui!
Idaho, and other states that have hyper-religious conservative legislatures, will never change their laws regarding equality due to internal political pressure. They will change it because the nation decides that it is a civil right and forces them to.
Unfortunately, too many good wittle wibewals don't want to acknowledge that.
Thanks Alex :) Now what makes the rest of you think that he is the only one in the state? Gezz Laweezzzz! You don't pay much attention do ya? There are lots of us. And yes we have Gay Student Unions, and yes we have Gay Bars. Do we have bigger problems than other states? Yes... but at 53 years old I can remember when some of those blue states were JUST AS BAD and it was not the Federal Government that fixed it. But yes..... having federal help is very welcome and again Alex :) thanks for staying... we would miss you if you left.
I don't know how he affords it. The additional federal taxes on my spouse's income can get about as large as a minimum wage job. Not to mention expensive healthcare, etc, etc.
And they call just being out, brave.
I was laid off, in no small part due to my religious and political views.
After years of trying to live in far northern California (called "Calabama" because it has so many Republicans, and rampant racism and homophobia), I finally called it quits and left.
I miss the mountains and the small town atmosphere...but not the small-minded, angry, tea party, "Christian conservative" culture.
I fear we are self-selecting, and the backwaters of America will become dangerous places for anyone who is not a fan of Rush and Hannity. In many ways, it's starting to resemble the Old South of my youth.
I live in Brazil, IN and continue to write to our local newspaper almost daily about the conservative backward ideals that this state holds so dear. The latest folly is the requirement for an invasive ultrasound before your can get the "morning after" pill. The hate of anything different is so thick you can cut it with a knife. The latest proposed gun laws are met with hysteria and "OMG, they are going to take away my only means of self-defense". I have to live here as my husband and I are both retired and have to much money wrapped up in our property. We also pay a huge amount of income tax on our retirement income to the State. Same sex marriage is considered a sin and if you know any of those "kinds" of people, there must be something wrong with you. The latest craze is hating Muslims and Islam. Another case of "those" kinds of people being all terrorists. I keep trying to make a difference and I do have some company from other Democrats but sometimes I get so tired of trying to shed light on subjects that remain closed to the majority of the population.
I'm a blue dot in a sea of red stupid. I will not leave GA but will stay and fight. After all we're the home of MLK, John Lewis and a host of other fighters. We can and will turn GA at least purple if not back to blue with a little help from the National organizations.
I've been wrestling with this for years, most recently when my beloved state (Wisconsin) fell asleep at the wheel and not only unseated Russ Feingold, but installed Scott Walker as governor. I kept wondering if I was going to wake up, or if we've just been slowly devolving while I wasn't paying attention (anyone see Idiocracy?)
My compulsion has always been to stay and fight; Kant's categorical imperative from Philosophy 101 will haunt me forever-- I can't rationally exempt everyone from their civic duty, or else our civilization will fail-- so why should I get to run off to greener pastures?
But now my view has mutated to at least recognize that unless one is actively calculating how to dispel ignorance, reclaim the public dialogue and re-educate our younger generations, the "staying" part has no effect. It's all about the loudspeaker. Unfortunately for us, our message tends to be more eloquent debate than dog whistle, which doesn't exactly grab, nor keep, the attention of ignorant, small-minded people.
Still waiting for all the intelligent people to put their heads and efforts together toward a more effective, inclusive strategy at reaching through the fog to those who need it most. I love intelligent conversation with other intelligent people, but I'm also painfully aware that it's not really breaking down any barriers.
In the meantime I'll keep slowly whittling-down my boss toward a more progressive management technique, trolling conservative posts from Facebook Friends and Friends-of-Friends for opportunities to correct their untruths, and continuing to wonder whether blogging from a beach in Mexico would constitute abandoning my post.
I live in Wyoming and have for 20 years. Our kids were raised here, went to college, and now live out of state. They will not come back here to live and there are many like them. This state will be full of old people with their fear and hatred of anything different. The attitude shown by a young state legislator recently (Hans Hunt) in response to an email from a new Wyoming resident who wanted to give her opinion on some legislation currently being considered : he said his family had been here for 4 generations and if she didn't like the way things are done here she should just get out. He is receiving all kinds of positive feedback for this!
This kind of attitude is the norm now. I do what I can to encourage education and fact checking, but if you do not follow the teaparty/republican road here, you are attacked verbally or in print. I know there are liberals and Democrats here but they all keep it very quiet. People lose jobs and friends and all sorts of things if they don't do things the "R" way. Wyomingites are fond of calling themselves independent and free but they are not either. This state has become increasingly more uncivil and stubborn willfull ,ignorance and hatred is celebrated. It is sad and frustrating to live in such a beautiful place with such ugly minds now. We are working towards selling our house with its' beautiful view of Casper Mountain when my husband retires and we will leave. We don't want to but it has gotten worse and worse politically. We are tired of fighting this fight.