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"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it
is abomination."
- Leviticus 18:22*
"I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, and
I think we ought to codify that one way or another and we've
got lawyers looking at the best way to do that."
- President George W. Bush
"So this is Hell. And there's a crucifix in it."
- Robin Williams as Armand Goldman in The Birdcage
"Shouldn't you be holding the crucifix? It is THE prop
for martyrs!"
- Robin Williams as Armand Goldman in The Birdcage
"Yes, I wear foundation. Yes, I live with a man. Yes,
I'm a middle- aged fag. But I know who I am, Val. It took me
twenty years to get here, and I'm not gonna let some idiot senator
destroy that. F%$# the senator, I don't give a damn what he
thinks."
- Robin Williams as Armand Goldman in The Birdcage
March 5th, 2004
I'm convinced that someone at New York channel 11, the Warner Bros Network,
has a political agenda. The timing of this movie in relation
to today's most topical news stories can't be coincidental.
My wife and I were home last night, resting after
a very long week for both of us, and while channel surfing to
channel 11, I came across a movie I'd not seen in a year - The
Birdcage. For those of you that have never seen The Birdcage,
it is a movie based on the foreign film and play La Cage
Aux Folles. It's essentially the story of a son of a gay
couple who is about to get married to the daughter of a pious
senator. The son is trying to hide his father's gay lifestyle
so he can get married to the girl he loves.
I came in just at the part where Val, the son,
was proposing his plan to get Albert out of the apartment for
one night and to "tone down" the place for the senator
(Gene Hackman) and his wife (Diane Weisse). I have to say that
when I first saw The Birdcage, I thought it was hilarious.
It was a great flick with perfect comic delivery from Robin
Williams, Nathan Lane, and Hank Azaria. Nathan Lane, playing
Val's "mother" was particularly memorable. It was
really very funny.
Until now.
In regards to The Birdcage, I envisioned
my own mother having to act like a man because it would be an
embarrassment any other way for her to act. And I know for my
mother, it would be an impossibility. The other really sad part
of this movie was when Armand and Albert "marry".
The wedding occurred when the palimony papers were signed. The
couple sat together on a park bench silently after that.
How romantic.
In light of this current president's most recent
idiocy**, attempting to amend the US Constitution to make marriage
an institution for only a man and a woman, The Birdcage
becomes painfully sad. It is quite obvious to me that Mr. Bush
is following his usual form by preaching from his Christian
Fundamentalist pulpit with his head up his ass. Who the HELL
is this idiot to create a law that will go against this country's
desires. The introduction of that kind of a bill would say to
every gay person in America, "America thinks you shouldn't
be yourself and you will never be happy in this country....
ever."
Is he saying that same sex couples don't love
each other?
Is he saying that corporations don't have health benefits for
life mates?
Is he saying that his life style is the only one that everyone
should follow?
Well, all I have to say is "Screw Bush!" Um, maybe that came out wrong. I mean, "What does this overbearing dictator of a president know?"
I simply mention this in passing, that Hitler
went after the homosexuals and blacks before he went after the
Jews. Not that I'm making any correlation between W and Hitler.
No, heaven forbid. I could never do that. After all,
the people elected him president. Well, maybe not.
Jim McGreevey, whom I loathe, has actually done
two things I agree with. He has budgeted 6 million dollars for
stem cell research and has legalized same sex marriages within
New Jersey. I heard both of these on the radio and was flabbergasted
both times. It was about time someone take a stand for the initative
to help fund a cure for Parkinsons, Alzheimer's Disease, and
spinal damage. This, of course, was after Pastor Bush pulled
the plug on stem cell research in the first year of his presidency.
Also, Governor McGreevey allowed New Jersey to
be one of the ever growing states to recognize and allow gay
marriage. I was pleasantly shocked. The mayor of San Francisco
is marrying same sex partners despite objections from "The
Governator", Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is what the people
want. Why shouldn't the government allow it? Let me tell you
why.
Before I begin, let me tell you right now, I
am not a homosexual. I never have been and I never will be.
I enjoy watching Will & Grace and I certainly love
watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, but I'm not
gay. Same sex love for me is not my cup of tea. I do believe,
though, in the love between two souls. If they both happen to
be of the same sex then so be it. I believe that marriage as
an institution is not something that is God given (whatever
that is). No, marriage is a contract between two people. Marriage
is an act that two people engage with each other. A priest,
a judge, a rabbi, or a sea captain is there to simply witness
the event. The contract made between the two individuals is
this: a promise to be monogamous to each other and to stay with
each other for the rest of their natural lives. Period. When
people are wed they are voicing their promise to a large group
of people.
Those are the elements of a marriage ceremony.
A gay couple is essentially two people that love each other
and can't have kids. What's the difference between a homosexual
couple and a heterosexual couple that won't or can't
have kids, huh? I'm sensitive to that. Is President Bush attempting
to define marriage as an institution bent on procreation? I
hope not. It's interesting how the Bible says "to be fruitful
and multiply".
Now, here is where I throw some curves for you.
What "President Idiot" wants to do is sign into law
a piece of religious dicriminatory stupidity. The preamble of
The Constitution highlights the pursuit of happiness. This law
would go against it in every sense of its spirit. And Mr. Bush
had better stop an pray that this never gets to the Supreme
Court because the very act could be embarrassing. What's the
worst thing that could happen?
Here is the worst that can happen. Marriage will
be defined as an institution between a man and a woman. That
will discriminate against homosexuality. What would happen if
the gay community launches a movement against the president
making the concept of marriage illegal BECAUSE it is
discriminatory. Hmmmmmmm. Would it stop people from marrying?
No, but there would not be any legal benefit to it either. People
would still be able to get married as part of a religious ceremony
because of the separation of church and state. The moment there
is no separation between church and state you'll say, "good
bye" to marriage faster than you can say "Prosecute
that pedaphile!"
The reason why our Bible thumping magnate wants
a heterosexual favoring law admitted into the Constitution is
because he's a Christian Fundamentalist. Christians believe
that marriage is an institution between a man and a woman because
a man and a woman can make little Christians. Remember, that's
what their book said. God said to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful
and multiply". Homosexuals don't reproduce that way and
according to Leviticus, homosexuality is an abomination.
Christians also wish to perpetuate the belief of
homosexuality as a mental disease. It has yet to be proven one
way or the other but if you ask any gay person they'll most likely
tell you that deep down they've known they were gay all of his or her life. What you realize is that the Christians have to
say that. There is no way around it.
Now, why is that? Well, I figure it this way:
If homosexuality is genetic and people are predisposed to being
gay, that means Leviticus is wrong. It means that God made
someone gay. And God, apparently, does not make mistakes. That
may also means that God thought it was okay to create Adam and
Steve. However, the Bible can't have that because it would go
against their recruitment drive for new Christians. Remember,
The most popular way you get new Christians is to make em -
the old fashioned way. The other way is through Christian Evangelism...
and you know how I feel about them. Ugh!
I mean think about it. What heterosexuals do
in the privacy of their bedrooms may be repulsive to a homosexual
couple... and vice versa. I certainly am not one to want to
watch what goes on behind anyone else's bedroom doors and I
recommend you don't either. And if you do, you deserve what
you get. Blindness would be preferable. Love is an act between
two adults... with a hot tub... full of shortening... with an
outboard motor... and a trapeze. Hmmmmm.
Sorry, I was just having a moment.
But, why should you care anyway? Unless, of course,
you are one of those "bible thumpers" who thinks it's
only proper to have the bible in every bedroom. If you are then
you have a future with Gideon Bibles, Inc. and will be touring
hotels around the world as a bible inspector.
But I digress.
I'd like you to know that I'm not alone in my
opinion either. The
Economist Magazine (I recommend this publication to any
educated reader. It is the best value for your money, full of
articles and insight, and lacking in ad space.) published this
month a case in favor of gay marriage. There is so much to support
the concept of gay marriage as opposed to not. Gay couples should
have the right to solidify their love and committment as much
as heterosexual couples. Committment in marriage shows stability
and maturity. Besides, who are they hurting? They are "pursuing
their happiness".
The SONDA act (SEXUAL ORIENTATION NON-DISCRIMINATION
ACT) in New York is committed to seeing justice done for people
of different sexual orientation. SONDA was passed into New York
law in 2002 by Governor Pataki. SONDA defines sexual orientation
as "heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or asexuality,
whether actual or perceived." It is now illegal in New
York to discriminate against homosexuals and their ilk. As it
should be. New York has essentially stated that homosexuals
are people, too.
Unlike Mr. Bush, who with his Christian Fundementalist
background, would have the public believe that homosexuals don't
have the right to be happy and are an abomination. He would
have people believe that their desires are the results of a
mental illness. His pursual of this is a statement that gay
couples don't have the right to enjoy the tax and health benefit
advantages enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.
And that's just plain wrong.
Also, Mr. Bush has apparently forgotten that
gay couples are of legal voting age and many of them are republicans.
Plus, I believe the person who pushed this issue into the lime
light was a certified genius. Bush pursuing this issue will
only show him to be the religious nut I've been griping about
over the past year. Just like his 9-11 ads, I'm hoping this
comedy will prove to be a fatal mistake for his re-election
campaign. Let's also remember that many homosexual couples do
work in the media and many sympathize with the gay community
- like the movie program director of New York's Channel 11,
the WB (Warner Bros Network).
New York and New Jersey have a lot of electoral
votes. It's something for the republicans to think about.
* - Recently, I published a list of Leviticus quotes sent
by my wife in response to some idiocy about homosexuality that
Dr. Laura spouted. I looked up every quote on that page within
the Bible and they were all accurate. You may wish to read Following
Dr. Laura's Advice in the Jokes Section.
** - Get a stopwatch! He'll be due for another stupid quote
in about 20 seconds.
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