Onedia in the Ozarks

If you are a new reader of this blog you may not have read enough of my earlier posts to know that I am proudly left leaning. I am avidly outspoken against the habit of the ultra conservative evangelical Christian right forcing their religious beliefs upon society by attempting to impose a religion-based legal code on the rest of us. I admit that I have little tolerance for those who use their religion to rant against and condemn others or to rob them of their basic civil rights and individual freedoms. However, while I oppose their attempts to pass religion-based laws, I defend absolutely their rights to speak their minds and to believe as they do.

For that reason, I think Carrie Prejean is being treated wrongly. This young woman was asked a question and she gave an honest and personal answer and attempted to do so with no vitriol.

“I think it’s great Americans are able to choose one or the other,” she said. “We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what in my country, in my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be, between a man and a woman.”

It seems to me that she attempted to acknowledge the right of others to make other choices and to hold different opinions but that her own personal belief was different. She deserved no attack. Our own liberal president has stated that he believes marriage is between one man and one woman but supports civil unions. She has become a scapegoat for people who tolerate no disagreement with their cause. As far as I am concerned she stood the test of my personal quote to live by, Speak your mind even when your voice trembles.

Let me be absolutely clear. I support same sex marriage and believe that civil union is in fact not an acceptable substitute. Marriage is a contract. For centuries it has been a way to assure the ownership of property (often including the woman) the inheritance of property, the legality of offspring, the merging of estates, and binding treaties between city states and nations. Before organized religions began including marriage into their ceremonies and sacraments people joined together without benefit of a blessing by a officiant of a religion. In some countries, France for instance, a religious marriage is not legally recognized unless there has been a civil marriage as well. In this country a license is required but a religious ceremony is not required. A legal process must be used to dissolve a marriage. I support each church or religion having the right to decide whether  it will sanction or bless a marriage between same sex individuals.

So, back to Carrie, she was not rude, mean, or anything else. Based on her bio, she seems to be a nice young woman. She answered a question forthrightly. She did not dissemble or prevaricate or equivocate. No she simply spoke her truth in public and in doing so took a risk. I don’t think that young woman really considered that by telling the truth she would imperil her dream. We need to leave her alone.

One last question. Carrie answered that question wearing an evening dress. So, WHY do the networks show her in a bikini and then show her in her evening gown? I guess they are trying to thoroughly cover uncover the whole story.

Onedia