Chris Sacca's 'What is left?'

Basta Ya!

Spontaneous, mass demonstration is an enviable Spanish tradition. In 1996, while I lived in Madrid, ETA assassinated a professor right on one of the main university campuses. That murder of just one person was enough to provoke over one million marchers to descend into the streets that evening. A unified mass of people, driven by passion and rejection of fear, representing the full demographic spectrum, leaves an unassailable impression on a young American.

That said, the Spanish do not reserve this tradition only for glum events. In that same year, Atletico Madrid won the Spanish Football Cup and, on the night they won, over a million people flooded the streets to celebrate the victory.

Mrs. & Mrs. Civil Rights

Anil Dash had a link to this article in his blog today, so I downloaded it to read on the train.

For so long I have been a card carrying liberal always lining up on the 'correct' and 'enlightened' side of issues. In that context, gay marriage is a no-brainer. Fundamental fairness and principles of equality just can't be denied. I have yet to see an intelligent two-sided debate on the point without one side myopically referencing literalist scripture.

In that light, as a confident political proponent of full marriage rights for all, I casually began Laura's article this morning. I fully expected yet another editorial citing data, noting international practice, and endorsing our cavalier mayors.

Instead, I read a tale of true discrimination. It was no longer an academic exercise. Laura wrote about the empirical denial of rights every day to gay couples.

In lieu of bantor about the founding fathers and constitutional framers, here she is reminding me that Social Security benefits are lost, and privileges do not apply. She echoes the intended benevolent statements we straight people on the fringe of the discussion offer, not as consolation, but to make ourselves feel more comfortable in the face of such inexcusable prohibition.

Maybe it has been laziness on my part, or maybe fear. Something has kept me for so long from seeing the practical oppression, from seeing the pain.

I have looked at charts comparing marriage rights to civil union. Yet it all seemed like a political chess match. A game in which bright, ambitious professionals out-think anachronistic bible-thumpers.

Now, as I look out the window of this train on such a gorgeous day, I feel I have been tragically shallow.

Each of us has love, and know that is the richest of human experiences. I cannot begin to imagine how it must feel to be told that your love is wrong. To have your love legislated against. To have your family unrecognized by our laws.

And yet, on the flip side, I am so moved when I think those beautiful people strong enough to place love above all else. Who can still believe in our nation, and who work tirelessly to make it home for all of us. Who campaign in a great tradition of devotion and resilience. You who defy and who challenge and who make us think and feel. Who embody and epitomize the same notions of family and union upon which hypocrites base their detraction.