I tend to avoid taking a political stand on my blog. Folks in my real world are forced to listen to my rants but why would an opinion of a crazy, perpetually PMSing liberal mean shit to you kids?

Why indeed.

Always having to be the little rebel, I am surrounded by right wing Republicans. My family and I keep the peace by avoiding any talk beyond the weather and I even think THAT is GWs fault.

However, there is something that is REALLY pissing me off even though it isn't a new issue by any means. As if I am not embarrassed enough living in the state of the hanging chads and the transition to a color in the dot you fucking moron system of voting;

Now Florida residents will get to vote in November on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

The group, Florida4Marriage, collected 649,000 signatures to get the issue on the ballot this year. This group of right wing fucktards with too much time on their hands are so pissed off that this ban failed in Congress in 2006 that they decided they need to handle this within state lines so that Mr. and Mr. John Smith don't buy the 3/2 next door.

The concept of not denying people their rights unless you can show a compelling reason to deny them is the very basis of the American ideal of human rights. Yet, over SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND of my fellow Floridians think that BANNING personal choices is the American way.

Of course we aren't alone by any means. Currently 26 states have amendments specifically banning gay marriage and citing that marriage must be between a man and a woman.

I am not a close minded person and have listened to the arguments for this ban. The one I hear over and over is the Big Guy doesn't like it. Believe it or not, this is the only argument I view as moderately reasonable.

People's spiritual beliefs are very important to them. It is that personal logic that dictates how the religious see the world and how they want the world to see them.

In other words, if you live your life believing the good book, thou shall not bring a gift and do the chicken dance at Mary and Jane's wedding seems reasonable. It is pretty clearly written in black and white right there next to the part about it not being a good idea to have an intimate relationship with Rover.

However, not everyone else practices religion and that whole argument seems to stomp all over this pesky little Constitutional phrase....

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

As a straight woman that has failed at two marriages, I don't feel the least bit threatened that a same sex union would somehow make my commitments have less value. I managed to assure my marriages had no value all by myself.

My point is this...

If you strongly believe that people of the same sex shouldn't marry, then don't marry someone of your same sex.

But please stop signing petitions that limit the rights of United States citizens.

It is making me cranky.