When the Supreme a court ruling came down on Friday, I decided to discuss it with my five year old daughter. She a smart girl and I thought she could handle it and figure that even if the issue itself wouldn't resonate with her, the celebration certainly would. What five year old girl isn't thrilled about the thought of the Empire State Building and The White House being lid up in a rainbow? But even past the celebration, I thought this was an important enough event in our country's history that she should know where she was when it came to pass.
I have always been good at playing the role of the contrarian so can usually find an argument for both sides but this time was different. I can see both sides of the argument about the death penalty, the war on drugs, Obamacare and even abortion but on this I was lost.
My daughter, like many kids her age, is incredibly inquisitive and she won't let something pass without asking about it and then asking about the answer and the answer after that. It is in her nature to want to know why something happens and will not accept 'because', which I guess is the gift of young and unspoiled mind.
The conversation went like this
Righetti
So the court ruled today that two women can marry each other, you know like Masi and Aunt K. As of today the whole country knows they are married. Before today they weren't allowed
Daughter
Why were they not allowed before?
Righetti
Because some people didn't like two girls being married
Daughter
why?
Righetti
They said that they couldn't be a true family because they didn't have a papa
Daughter
But Masi and Aunt K have a real family
Righetti
Yes, but some people don't think they should
Daughter
But why?
Righetti
Because they say that a family should have a papa and mama and that would make the kids happier
Daughter
But my cousin seems happy.
Righetti
Yes, that is true he is a very lucky boy but some people don't think that they should be allowed to be a family
Daughter
But I don't understand why
Righetti
They think that everybody should have the same kind of family
Daughter
But everybody is different
Righetti
Yes, but people thought that there was something wrong with that
Daughter
Why?
Righetti
Because it wasn't what they were taught as kids
Daughter
Maybe they weren't paying attention, maybe they were distracted
Righetti
Maybe. They think that because Masi and Aunt K are married that their own marriage isn't the same
Daughter
Why?
Righetti
Because they think it changes what marriage and a family is
Daughter
But I just don't understand why they can't be a family
Righetti
Me neither
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The biggest homophobes, bigots, and racist assholes I remember from decades ago in high school and junior high now have rainbow flag backgrounds on their Facebook profiles.
ReplyDeleteEither they have really changed (doubt that), or they have just succumbed to peer pressure on the outside, mainly to throw people off (most likely).
So this rainbow flag stuff lately on social media means nothing to me. Too many liars out there.