To Litigate or Not To Litigate

Right now, there is a federal case being heard in California that is an attempt to overturn the newly-added amendment to the California constitution defining marriage as between "one man and one woman" (Proposition 8). Some same-sex marriage proponents have gone so far as to call this the Brown v. Board of Education of gay rights.

I support gay marriage, of course, and I was disappointed by Prop 8's passage. But I didn't raise the same hue and cry over it for the simple fact that it was legally put on the ballot and (narrowly) approved by the voting public. As such, I have mixed feelings about this federal case for a couple of reasons. First of all, it's seems to be delving into dangerous and questionable territory. Just because I don't like a political result doesn't mean I should use the courts as a means to circumvent it. There is far more potential for harm than good in this. Second, it could backfire terribly and actually set us back on the issue. I'd hate to see this case become a precedent for same-sex marriage opponents.

By Any Other Name

One thing I do have to admit is that I get really tired of the "separate but equal" terminology used for homosexual relationships: commitment ceremony, life partner, etc. Most of the time, people using this politically-correct terminology are just trying to be respectful. (And I'll take "two life partners" over "a couple of fags" any day.) However, I personally find these unwieldy phrases sad, laughable and totally unnecessary. A decade and a half of being single doesn't bode well for escaping old maidenhood, but if I ever do find that special someone, I'm going to have a wedding to marry my husband!

Signs of the Father

My father is against gay marriage, which isn't surprising in light of his age and generally conservative outlook. What pleases me is that he is in favor of civil unions. Given that, back in the day of Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade, this is the same man who told me that "those people" shouldn't be allowed to teach children, and I have to admit that I'm touched by the progress he has made in his thinking.

Personal Roundup

So far my diet is going perfectly. I've managed to cheat all five out of five days I've been on it. Still, I've actually done fairly well in regulating what I eat. And the fact that I'm not pouring 1300 calories of beer down my throat every night has to be doing me some good.

Days sober: 7
Weight: 240 pounds
Waist: 47.5 inches