As many of you know, yesterday evening, a select group of voters in North Carolina voted into existence an amendment to the state constitution a ban on co-habitation without the legal status of “marriage.”

To the nation and to the North Carolinian voters, this wasn’t about “co-habitation” but about same-sex marriages. North Carolina declared to the world that homosexuals are second-class citizens, unworthy of the same legal rights as married heterosexuals. Yes, they also declared that non-married but co-habitating heterosexuals are second-class citizens, but that particular issue is not what caused over 66 percent of the voters to deny civil rights to citizens of their state.

It was the homosexual marriage/civil union/domestic partnership aspect that caused passage.

Never forget that, and when people advise others to “look at the larger picture,” they’re not talking about any segment of the population that is specifically targeted but of their own misfortune.

“Look at the larger picture” … that not even heterosexuals can co-habitate legally now.
“Look at the larger picture” … that intelligent, free-thinking new employees will think twice about moving there.
“Look at the larger picture” … that was totally ignored by the religious right wing.

Forget that insults are passed from these bigots. Don’t take it personally. “Look at the bigger picture” … that heterosexuals are now a discrimination target.

Well, where were you, all you larger-picture-viewers, when your state law that outlawed same-sex marriages was passed? What did you do to have that law repealed?

From what I’ve been able to read, you didn’t do much about it but grumble for a short time, then return to your heterosexual, unaffected lives. You really didn’t invest all this outrage until you were included in the discrimination. Now, you’re all about civil rights. Now, you vow to fight until this amendment to your state constitution is rescinded. Now, you speak,

“Look at the larger picture.” “Don’t stoop to their level.”

Oh, yes, that was said recently, as well as:

“People like [them] need to be educated in a civil manner – not personally attacked or addressed in a demeaning way – with the goal of changing their minds. That is the only way we can win.”

That we, by the way, was said by a heterosexual who probably meant well. This person was also the one who defended the “them” who said things like

“illicit and abnormal sexual practices,”

and who prays that homosexuals realize

“somehow, someday, that they are wrong”

and especially

“If you don’t like the way it is here, there’s a plane leaving every 10 minutes for somewhere you could go and live outside of the USA.”

The woman who said those things doesn’t even live in North Carolina but was speaking in defense and agreement of the amendment.

The “discussion leader,” shall we say?, stated that these comments were a voiced opinion, and the speaker had a right to say them. Sure, they were “probably” inflammatory, but she didn’t direct them to anyone specifically.

No, she didn’t. She just addressed it to every homosexual on the planet — to a significant portion of this country, just not to a named individual.

Well, sorry, folks, but I am not a wallflower, and I addressed those bigoted remarks. I stated fact, and I stated my opinion that the speaker was a narrow-minded and bigoted, and if she didn’t like equal rights for all, then she should get out of MY country.

Gee, I received a message that I was attacking this woman whose comments may have been inflammatory, but I should respect her rights anyway, that I should “look at the big picture.”

When two-thirds of a state refused to look at the larger picture, do you middle-roaders really think that your fight to overturn that amendment will not be met with religious resistance?

Proponents stated the amendment was to protect the state’s coffers from administering divorces and the like regarding other states’ recognized legal statuses of same-sex marriages, yet you insist on a discriminated group ignoring the true issue behind the ban and focus on non-sexuality-based outrage?

After all, the proponents who wrote the proposal did not say one thing about heterosexual co-habitation. They used same-sex relationship recognition in defense of their right to deny civil rights that heterosexual married couples enjoy.

Forget the “larger picture,” people. Look at the true picture:

North Carolina detests homosexuals, and you as a state will go to any lengths to impose your religious bigotry on your citizens.

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On a side note, the person with whom I had this “look at the larger picture” conversation blocked me after having her double standards pointed out to her. That’s open-mindedness? Right. Gotcha.