Let's Fight Discrimination Sensibly

By Me

A lot of us were angry, disappointed, surprised, and disgusted when Prop 8 passed in November. BUT, no matter what our beliefs, we all have a right to express our opinions and we must try to live together in harmony. That means expressing our opinions not only clearly and effectively, but also respectfully.

The main No on Prop 8 campaign was a professional campaign and quite responsibly run. I should know; I spent many a night volunteering with it. However, in the aftermath of Prop 8's passing, a decentralized movement has taken form that has had mostly positive effects (witness the day of peaceful marches shortly after the election). Those marches sent a powerful message that we will not stop pushing for the right of people in California to marry whom they choose.

However, this decentralized movement has also spawned a very ugly, very dark side. It includes demonizing Mormons and Blacks as well as seeking out those who contributed to the Yes on 8 campaign and making their contributions the subject of public ostracizations. Needless to say, this kind of harassment can seriously impact a person's life and, as we shall see, livelihood.

For one of the most heartbreaking of these misguided protests, I point to Steve Lopez's column today in the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez14-2008dec14,0,5995847.column. A woman, raised a Mormon, made a small $100 private contribution to the Yes on 8 campaign. She happens to be a manager of El Coyote, one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in LA. A group of people angry about Prop 8 identified her publicly using campaign contribution records and then descended upon the restaurant where she works, harassing customers and driving away business. Their business was almost immediately crushed, and the woman's relationship with her formerly sizable gay clientele has been destroyed. She is tottering on the edge of a nervous breakdown: the restaurant is owned by her mother.

I say, since when the hell is it a crime to express your opinion? This woman did nothing wrong; they simply disagree with her. These people are doing nothing but piling on more hatred into a situation in which peace, persistence, and resolve are needed much more than public witch-hunts and fingerpointing. Remember how much bitterness was stirred up back during the campaign season when each side continued to steal each other's signs? That was people saying "I do not respect your right to express your opinion." It produced nothing but neighbor-on-neighbor enmity and did nothing to further either side's cause.

This is the same idea, only magnified and far uglier. These people, though they are fighting a difficult battle for something dear and deserved, need to get their heads out of their asses pronto and keep this in perspective. I have no doubt that one day they will again have the right to marry, but why leave a trail of tears on the way? It's just not worth going about it that way. And what's more, it's bad P.R.

Let's be civil.