No More

I loved this sign when I first saw it in the days following the passage of Prop H8 in California. I used to live in California and, for the life of me, I never thought they'd pass such a thing. California? So progressive? Of course, when you read all the misleading comments, the rumors, the innuendo, and the outright lies spread across the Golden State about what a No vote would do, it was easy to be confused.

Yes means No Gay Marriage.
No means Yes Gay Marriage.
I was confused. And, as I've told anyone since who will listen:
No More Mister Nice Gay!

See, especially at this time of year, I'm looking at it this way: it's like we're all sitting around this giant table, gay and straight, at Thanksgiving, and I'm saying, "Could you please pass the yams and the Hate Crimes Legislation?" and I get them.

I'd like some peas and the right to live where I choose.
Here you go, gay boy.

Mmmm, cranberry sauce and the ability NOT to get fired from my job without cause.
Okay, but don't eat too much. There's still pie.

Now, let's see, I'd like turkey and, hmmm, Marriage Rights?
Here's the turkey, but the rest of us have decided that you can't have marriage rights, There's only enough to go around for one man, one woman.
Excuse me?
We said, "No marriage."

This is where I stop being nice. I stop being polite and asking to be treated like everyone else. I was raised to know that everyone is equal, no matter what color, what size, how tall, how you speak, where you live, how much money you have, what you do on Sunday......We're equal.
So I've decided to stop asking and start demanding.

And if that means I have to march against the Mormon church who funded Yes on H8 to the tune of four out of five dollars, then I'll march.

If it means I won't go to a Cinemark theater because the owner donated thousands to H8, then I won't go.

And if that means that I won't support a theater company whose artistic director donated to H8, then I won't.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and if your religion is anti-gay marriage, it's okay. I don't want to join your churches, I want to live like you do, with the same rights and privileges that you have. I want to keep a separation of church and state. And if you don't want me to have the same rights as you, don't ask for my money or my support.

Don't ask me to sit politely in a corner and wait until YOU feel ready to allow me what's rightfully mine.

I through playing nice.