One Giant Leap For Gay Rights But Perhaps Just A Baby Step Against The System

Yesterday was a day to both celebrate and remain sober. We should celebrate this day because of the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage, we took a step closer to becoming a society that is more consistently based on equality than we were the day before.  And the true test of being a proponent for equality is supporting the rights of those with whom you disagree. As a Christian, I believe that homosexuality goes against the Bible. However, the Church makes up just part of society and we must make room for those with whom we disagree.

I am also thrilled for two friends in particular who enjoy same-sex marriages with their spouses.  These two friends have significantly contributed to my life and I am happy for them. So today is a day of rejoicing.

But outside of the world of same-sex marriage, life is the same if not worse. Our overall political-economic system is dominated by the same ideology that has allowed both wealth and power to be consolidated while suffering to be well distributed. As I was discussing with an internet friend before, our righteous struggle to battle racism has allowed economic classism to fly in under the radar and become deeply entrenched into the landscape. Yesterday's Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage has done little if anything to change the stranglehold that the 1% has on both the wealth and power enjoyed in this country. And perhaps today's necessary decision might have helped. For it just might be the carrot that liberals need to remain complacent and ignore the rest of our problems such as the Supreme Court's decision to strike down key components of the Voters Rights Act along with its decision to give police access to one's DNA.

So, while Gays are rightfully given a better chance at enjoying marriage in society, the system that oppresses everybody is remaining the same if not getting stronger.

Finally, a word for my fellow Christian Fundamentalists needs to be spoken here. Behind all of the rhetoric about activist judges, the shredding of democracy, and fears of a gay agenda future that suppresses Christians' rights to say what they believe, the real issue is that we are, and thankfully so, losing our control on society. We need to admit that we substitute legislation designed to make illegal behavior we believe is wrong and find distasteful for evangelism. We would rather pass laws than share the Gospel because the former allows us to live a life of leisure on our own islands that were conceived in the American Dream. We use laws to attack the gay community and yet cry persecution when they resist. All of this indicates that we believe in a hierarchical society rather than one founded in equality. Yes, the Bible does say homosexuality is a sin. But shouldn't we put all of our efforts into respectfully persuading people as equals rather than dictating laws against homosexuality as superiors? Until we recognize our attempt to control others for the sake of our own comfort, we will remain clueless as to why our attempts cause some in the Gay community want to reciprocate and why our sharing of the Gospel often falls on deaf ears.