Supporting Proposition 8 Was Not Easy; Nor Is It Bigoted
The decision of the Orthodox Union (aka the Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America) to support Proposition 8 was,
on the one hand, an easy call. Jewish law is remarkably clear on
homosexual behavior. The Bible, in Leviticus, forbids it outright. And
for millennia, the Talmud and codes of law have consistently forbid
homosexual relations.
On the other hand, it is was, and remains, a difficult decision. Jews
have been victims of discrimination over those same millenia and
Orthodox Jews, possibly more than others.
Jews have, on and off since creation, been subject to discrimination
and oppression. We have been denied rights, the ability to own
property, work in a chosen profession and worse. We were denied entry
into universities, social clubs and neighborhoods.
We have no intention of visiting that on others. In fact, the Orthodox
Union has been outspoken in opposing discrimination and in opposing
hate, including efforts at fighting discriminatory practices in the
workplace, at home and elsewhere.
If someone wants to visit a loved one - in this case, if a gay American
wants to visit their partner or child - in a hospital, we aren’t about
to stop them. We’re not going to oppose gay couples having the ability
to transfer property or assets to those they wish, or to be a
beneficiary on someone’s insurance or pension.
Let's be clear: Jews have been denied civil rights; we aren't looking to deny others anything. But this is not about legal rights for gay couples. It is about a threat to religious institutions under the guise of civil rights.
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To claim that it wasn't easy or bigoted is an insult to the intelligence of the readers here. It was easy. The issue didn't affect you at all, your rights weren't being taken away. All you had to do was vote, and simple as that, someone's value as a human being was diminished.
It was bigoted: what exactly isn't bigoted about denying a group the same civil rights you enjoy simply because you don't 'approve'?
What a relief to hear that you had at least a twinge of conscience.
The fact that Jews have faced discrimination and oppression does not excuse supporting prop 8.
How incredibly sad that you've chosen to ally yourselves with forces working to take rights away from others based only on their personal prejudice and their religious beliefs.
"Let's be clear: Jews have been denied civil rights; we aren't looking to deny others anything. But this is not about legal rights for gay couples. It is about a threat to religious institutions under the guise of civil rights."
Let me be clear, this is a denial of civil rights, plain and simple, and you are very clearly denying Gays of their right to wed -- you can't honestly debate that fact. Your religion is under no obligation to recognize these people as married, nor will you ever be required to wed these couples, and it does not affect your religion in any way whatsoever. We're not going to regulate or change your religion at all, all we want is for you religion to stop oppressing us and guiding our religious practices.
There is no "guise" here or whatever you want to call it. Gays are being denied an opportunity everyone else has. I honestly don't care what your religion says, just as you should not care what mine says, but we should both have the right to practice our religions. My religions says it's A-OK for gays to marry one another, yours doesn't.
Therefore, don't let gays marry in your church. We'll let gays marry in mine.
From the Bill of Rights:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." We aren't prohibiting your religion from doing anything, so you shouldn't be able to prohibit the exercise of my religion from doing what it feels is right.