Why do we fight for a word?
This week the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision to halt the granting of same-sex marriage licenses in California until it considers the constitutionality of the state’s same-sex marriage ban.
So, here we go with round 2, or 200, or 2,000 — I have long ago stopped counting and stopped worrying about “The Battle.”
You see, I don’t believe the battle was fought correctly and therefore lost its direction.
Marriage. Really? Why are we so determined to have a word?
That’s all it really is, a word. I really thought the fight was for rights. Is getting “married” the only way to do that? Aren’t we worried about legal rights?
Seems to me we are. I mean after all, we are conducting our fights in the legal system.
How far along do you think we would be if perhaps instead of focusing on the word we focused on the prize — equal rights. Give them the word; give me the rights.
You can call the process established to grant the rights whatever — civil union, partnership agreement, legal arrangement or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I don’t see where that matters.
Also, just think of the possible additional troops we could recruit — straight couples that also desire the rights but don’t want the whole “married” thing.
The more the “marry-er,” as they say.
What does matter, at least in my opinion and world, is that I can make medical decisions for my partner when needed (or hell, just be able to see him in the hospital), that we can receive the retirement or social security benefits of the other just the same as any spouse, that we can buy property together and that property passes to either of us at the death of the other — you know, the important things, the rights.
I am all in for that fight, but not this word fight. Honestly I have to admit, I am not a fighter at heart so the thought of a tougher battle to achieve the goal is very unattractive to me.
So, hate me for being a man who is gay and doesn’t want to be in this battle.
It is your right.
David Dupuy
Dallas
Touched by TCC’s national anthem
Last week I was driving out to DFW Airport very early in the morning, just before 7 a.m. I tuned my car radio to KEOM FM 88.5, which is the Mesquite Independent School District station, which mainly plays a format of 1970s and ’80s music.
Well they had just signed on for their broadcast day and played what I thought was one of the most beautiful renditions of the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” that I had ever heard.
It was so good, I wanted to know who performed it.
So I called the morning station DJ, thinking that it must have been one of the military academies or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Imagine my sheer delight to learn that it was Dallas’ own Turtle Creek Chorale.
It was truly magnificent. If you have never heard the TCC’s performance of the national anthem, make sure you make the effort to do so.
Bravo gentlemen!
Jay Narey
Dallas
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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition August 20, 2010.
