Underdstandable, But Still Wrong

James Widgerson recently posted about how some anti-Proposition 8 people had gotten out of line, what with making death threats and otherwise disorderly conduct. (BTW, there is nothing wrong with boycotting a company that supports something opposite of your beliefs. Right wingers do that all the time.)

Dad29 also echoes James' sentiments.

First off, let me say that while I support equal rights for ALL people, I do not in any way, shape or form, condone harassment to the point of making death threats or causing damage to other people's persons or property.

However, I can understand the frustration that would lead a person to such inappropriate behaviors. In California, as in too many other states in this country, there is a movement fueled by fear and hatred, to deny equal rights to everyone. Whenever rights of one group have been denied by another group, it almost always ends up in violence to some degree.

Indeed, the Revolutionary War was fought due to Britain denying the colonies their rights.

The battle to overcome racism is a long one. It includes the Civil War and the race riots in the late 1960s. And as we just saw in the last election, there is still an abundance of racism out there.

Workers, forming unions to finally get fair and honest treatment from their employers, like 8-hour work days and decent wages, were subjected to violence. One of the most notable local stories includes the Bay View Massacre in 1886. And the recent lawsuits against Wally World, which they lost, shows that there is still a strong need for unions.

California is only the most recent scene where we have seen history repeating itself. The voters overturned a ruling of the California Supreme Court and crapped on the Constitution by legalizing discrimination. And yes, regardless if the motivation was fear, hatred or theological issues, it is discrimination.

But as I wrote earlier, I do not condone the violence or the death threats. I would strongly suggest that the pro-equality activists do some reading on the Suffrage Movement. It allowed the women the right to vote, without all the violence.

Then again, I probably would tend to react violently if someone was threatening me first.