Over the last thirty six hours I have seen the phrase "traditional values" appear on my feed quite often. It has been thrown out once again owning to the Supreme Court's ruling on "gay" marriage. I have never understood this phrase as an argument.
Traditional values held that it was okay to own another human being. To take them from their homes, to keep them in chains, to split up families, to whip them.
Traditional values held that interracial couples should not marry. In fact the idea was so disgusting to some that they felt the need to teach interracial couples a lesson. Usually in the form of beatings and sometimes outright murder.
Traditional values looked at children as commodities. We would marry at the age of fourteen, then thunk out as many kids as we could in order to help on the farm, family business, or send them off to work in factories, on the streets, or perhaps the mines.
Traditional values held that women should not vote.
Traditional values held that blacks should not be citizens of the united states, or be allowed to vote.
Traditional values sometimes would lead to the firing from one's job, beatings, murder, ostracism, jailing, or numerous other from of denigrating and degrading treatment of Blacks, Homosexuals, Women, and to virtually every minority.
All of these were mostly justified by a religion we decided to interpret a certain way. We held these values as perfectly acceptable, natural, and legal.
"Bigot: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and PREJUDICES; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance" ~ Merriam-Webster
These are all bigoted values. They have seeped through the fabric of time, and within our culture are in some cases still held. Many don't even realize that what they say, or that their actions, are bigoted. In fact hey will vehemently deny it. We have become comfortable in such ways and it is hard to change. It is difficult to admit when we have been in the wrong. So, we scratch and claw to hold onto traditional values (our prejudices), not even understanding we are doing so. We will hide behind our religions, beliefs, and politics. These beliefs and ideologies probably don't make us right, they make us assholes.
You don't have to be filled with hate to be a bigot. It is by your words and actions that will place you in that category, whether you realize it or not.
In the past several days, some of us have refused to see what a symbol has come to mean, regardless of what it originally held, it has changed. It changed a long time ago and we should accept that.
" 'The Confederate Flag is just a symbol of states’ rights.' Bullshit. And the Swastika is just a Tibetan good luck charm." ~Robin Williams
Some of us refuse to understand that an entire group of our fellow citizens have not been treated equal. We are supposed to be free in this Nation. We are supposed to be equal, and yet we have not been. We have been treating minorities and the GLBT communities as second class citizens. This is why there are such things as "Pride" events. This is why they state for the world to hear, "I'm proud!".
As white America we have never been told for generations by the majority that we were worthless, subhuman, abominations, unnatural, weak, and a million other horrible things. It is something we cannot fully understand. A few of us pretend to, but we are fooling ourselves.
I am elated that yesterday we have taken one massive step towards equality for all. It is a shame that some people seem to have a problem with such an idea.
I expect some wedding invitations in the future. Even if I cannot attend, just seeing the invitation in the mail will bring a smile to my face and will remind me of the progress we have made as a society.
Love is love, regardless of the person you want to share your life with.
Now, can we just say "marriage?"
