Love and Human Rights

I recently sent a link to friends urging them to support the rights of same-sex married couple to stay married. As the United States has evolved to expand our protection of human rights including the right for women to vote, civil rights, and children's rights, I find it natural and decent to allow same-sex couple the same rights allowed married heterosexual couples. I could go into a lengthy discussion of the history, some social and religious, on the institution of marriage but I leave that to others. Simply put, in the US, being married allows couples some access to decent treatment, especially regarding parental and health care rights, and I believe my same-sex friends should be allowed access to marriage both religiously and civilly. 

Prop 8 in California threatened not just access to marriage but actually allowed discrimitation to be mandated by law. I could not stand by, even as a non-California resident, and let such a thing happen without lending my little voice of protest. And when lots of little voices of protest combine, a louder voice just may make a difference. 

Here is a friend's reply:

"I believe this is a state's rights issue. Sorry. And as I am not a Californian, I do not feel I should have a voice."

What? Did Ken Starr and all the Mormon and Utah backers of Prop 8 stay out of California? No. I won't either. Human rights don't stop at a border. Should I move to Oregon for the right to die? Or move to Louisiana if I don't want abortion service access? And what about poor people who can't move? Or people with tons of money and influence being able to ride shotgun in their local area? Should I not care about Darfur or women being stoned to death in Taliban regions? Is it their 'right' to deny human rights to all who reside there? Bull shit. 

I was lucky enough to be born in the U.S. and get a good education here. Along with my fancy ivy-league graduate degree diploma, I also received another more important document, suitable for framing - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Prop 8 basically allows for legal discrimination in direct contradiction to Article 7, "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law." I cannot and will not stand by while anyone in my country tries to deny my friends and family equal protection, and acts that serve to break apart families and marriage rights. A state border will not, should not stop me. It hasn't stopped the discriminators. 

So I will sign a petition, give money, fight a good fight regardless of borders. My only limitations on if I should get involved is a determination of if human rights are being violated. I will engage, vocally, financially, or otherwise, wherever this happening if I can. If only all caring people did the same, we would create a better world for all sooner rather than later. I want sooner.