Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Just Keep Coming Back

Social justice is not achieved by people who take 'no' for an answer. Social justice is achieved by people who just keep coming back for more.
For example --
They've been together for more than twenty years. They are raising two children. The children are happy. One parent goes to work while the other stays home with the children both under the age of eight. They recently rescued a dog dumped in a city park. They own a home and make regular mortgage payments. They pay their taxes. They volunteer for several charitable causes. They belong to a synagogue and fulfill their financial obligation to that institution. Their children receive a religious education and have a religious identification. They belong to the PTA and know how to bake cookies and slice oranges for AYSO soccer games. They even -- really -- have a white picket fence around their front yard.
And they are both women living in San Francisco County and San Francisco City.
Twenty years ago they celebrated their lifelong commitment to each other in front of their congregation with their rabbi officiating.
When the mayor of San Francisco declared same sex marriages legal in that city and county they got married. When those marriages were declared null and void they carried on with their lives. When the California State Supreme Court declared same sex marriages legal they got married again. They hope to never have to do this getting married thing again. They hope Proposition 8 is defeated in November. But, if this marriage, too, is declared null and void, they will continue paying their bills and raising their children and walking their dog because those are activities and responsibilities separate from who they are and who they love.
And they will just keep coming back for more until they have achieved their social justice. And when they achieve their social justice so will everyone else.
And that is the 'more' for which we should all keep coming back.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well put - I couldn't have said it any better. Who cares who co-habitats with who as long as everyone is happy and carrying on their day-to-day living. I aplaud you for such an article.