[Winona Online Democracy]
Interesting that Bob should post this on the same day that the Winona Daily News ran two columns on the opinion page on this very subject.
On the left (geographically) was the typical right-wing ramblings of Cal Thomas ~ the 2d biggest bigot appearing regularly on the WDN opinion pages. (Second only to Kathleen Parker.) Thomas, as is his style, ranted and raved about the fall of Western Civilization brought on by such horrendous things as abortion, cohabitation and, of course, homosexuality. However, Cal could offer no logical reason to not allow same-gender marriage except two; It is against god's will and it has traditionally not been tolerated.
"Tradition", according to Emerson, "is the hobgoblin of little minds" As for the against god's will argument, perhaps Cal should read the Constitution some time, particularly the First Amendment.
On the right hand side of the page (should these columns not have been reversed?) was an excellent editorial by Leonard Pitts, who not only debunked the crazy idea that people choose their sexual orientation, but showed how movements to bring about equality for people other than the elite, white male majority, have never begun with government or even by charismatic "leaders" but have, without exception begun with the masses. That's why they are called grass roots movements. While Pitts talked specially about the civil rights movement, the same can be said for the abolitionists, the drive for women's suffrage, the civil rights movement and, today the gay right's movement.
As Pitts states, the right for gays and lesbians to marry the person of their choosing will come to pass someday. It is inevitable. There may be set-backs along the way, there always are in any progressive movement of this kind, but it will happen eventually.
So, as the great Minnesota poet Bob Dylan was said, "Please get out of the way if you can't lend a hand, for the times they are a changin'"
Dean
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