Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday I recieved an email from John Gray. John Gray, relationship guru and author of, "Men Are From Mars, and Women Are From Venus."

At first scan, I thought the email read, "three positions for Valentine's day."

"John Gray has gone from self help to sex help," I say to myself.

What Gray's email really said was "three ideas for passion this Valentine's day," which is basically the same thing, right?

And now onto a V-Day social issue. The issue of Gay Marriage. Prop H8, which takes away the right for gays to marry in California, was ruled unconstitutional in a Federal Appeals Court last week.

While the right for gays to marry in California is still on hold in California, the ruling could send the issue of gay marriage all the way to the highest court in the country, the United States Supreme Court. A final ruling at the highest judicial level against Prop H8 could have nationwide implications in favor of gay marriage.


An HBO documentary premieres tonight on HBO.

Flashback to 1958, to Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple who married in Washington D.C. When the newly wed couple returned to their home in Virginia they were arrested in the middle of the night because it was illegal for whites to marry blacks. The Lovings were actually convicted for being interracially married, and had to leave their home and family in Virginia, for Washington D.C. where interracial marriages were legal to avoid serving jail time.

Their arrest took them on a 9 year long battle which was eventually settled by the United States Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision overturning the Lovings' conviction under the 14th Amendment's due process and equal protection of the law clauses. Finally, the Lovings could return home without fear of being convicted for their marriage.

Marriage is a right most people take for granted, except of course, for the people who are unconstitutionally denied the right to marry.

Ironically, President Obama's own parents' interracial marriage in 1961, was illegal in many states, yet President Obama does not support gay marriage.

All people should be afforded the same rights, including the right to marry. When the Lovings married in 1958, interracial marriages were illegal in many states. People actually believed the races shouldn't mingle.

"Heil Hitler!"

Just as some people believe gays shouldn't be allowed to marry today. Is there a difference between the Jim Crow laws of yesteryear that banned interracial marriages, and the laws that ban gay marriage today?

I don't see any difference, do you?

Every person, no matter the color of their skin, their religion, or their sexual orientation should be afforded equal rights and protection of the law. I took one law class in college, it was United States Constitutional law.

Maybe EVERYONE needs to take this class, so they can be understand the unconstitutionality of restricting a minority group's rights?

Happy Valentine's Day to all.


References:

Prop H8 Wiki

The Lovings Wiki

Ann Dunham Wiki