Yes We Can

I am thrilled and elated that Obama won. This is history in the making, and I’m so proud and excited to have been able to be a part of it. The country is changing, and for the better. This is such a wonderful thing.

On the other hand, I am totally disgusted and furious that now there is a ban on gay marriage in California. So my happiness about Obama is tempered by my anger about Prop 8. Still, we cannot give up on the struggle. This is just a reason to fight harder to make gay marriage legal again. We can overturn the ban. We lost this by such a narrow margin. It was only a few votes. We could take it back.

These ‘yes on 8’ idiots really think they have God on their side, but they don’t. Trust me, Jesus is totally bummed right now because He is not registered to vote in California because he is technically dead, although he has everlasting life.

This is just a momentary setback, something that will make our ultimate victory just that much sweeter. And with a new President, someone who will finally listen to us, we can do anything.

43 thoughts on “Yes We Can

  1. Oh, Margaret Cho, why can’t people get things right the first time? And this new pres is backing civil unions, not marriage, for gays. I am beyond disappointed. Let’s get good and angry now.

  2. I watched from Colorado and I’m so sorry about Prop 8 and other anti-gay legislation passing across the country. What is it about our society that loves to taunt, “I’ve got my rights and privileges, but that’s not good enough, I have to make sure you don’t get yours because my self-esteem will never be satiated until I’ve trampled everyone around me except for white upper middle class heterosexuals!”

    I don’t get it. I never will.

  3. I’m straight but voted NO on prop 8.

    I think it’s very unfair that gay couples are persecuted like this.

    At least Americans had the good sense to vote for Obama.

    Let’s hope they can open their minds a bit more, and think of others, instead of only, themselves.

  4. I’m sorry to hear about Prop 8 in California and our Amendment 2 here in Florida. My sister and her partner have been married for 17 years. As a “joke” I called and asked for all my wedding/anniversary gifts back. She hung up on me. She obviously doesn’t have the sense of humor that I do, plus it was a touchy subject. My bad. Anyway, keep up the fight for the next election to reverse these issues.

  5. I’m a straight female, who lives in SF and I believe in my heart that LOVE IS LOVE. On of my work colleagues said something inspirational to me today during a work conference that I wanted to paraphrase what he said, “Last night, America jumped a major hurdle. We have started to change minds. Now, we have to work on changing hearts”. It is so true. We have to continue to work together to open people’s eyes, minds and hearts.

    California Prop 8 is unfair and wrong. We should not stand still and let such inequality continue!

  6. Thank you, Ms. Cho, for your words. I am very sad as well today with many mixed emotions. I want to scream from the rooftop that I am not different from anyone else. My love is as strong and important. I am saddened to think that I may not see gay equality in my lifetime. My hope drives me to think of something, anything I can do to help the cause. Please keep on inspiring!!

  7. This is indeed a glorious day. As a gay man, it’s a tad bittersweet, given the bad news from CA, AZ, and FL — but I look at it as a reality check during a time of great joy.

    Our country is (finally!) on the right track again after years of lying, arrogance, corruption, and incompetence … but we still have a lot of work to do. Barack said as much last night, and this just proves it. So now it’s time to do the work.

    And Virgin — it doesn’t really matter so much what Obama thinks about gay marriage; it’s much more important that he will nominate freedom-loving judges to the Supreme Court, and when it’s time to overturn all of these state bans on gay marriage in one swell foop — they will be on the right side of justice.

  8. I (as a bisexual Floridian) and completely torn over this whole election. I am ecstatic that Obama won, and proud to say that my state helped with that (we were on the fence there for awhile, and I was nervous), but I am completely and utterly disappointed in us for Amendment 2… If you really read the wording on it, it strips the rights of *all* civil unions, gay or straight… not cool. I wish California the best of luck overturning Prop 8, and I’m glad it was a close vote for you. The uninformed masses in Florida have spoken 62% to 38%: “This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.” 🙁

  9. The ACLU just filed a lawsuit to stop Prop 8. Apparently, the prop was so badly worded that we have a pretty good chance of seeing it overturned! Keep fighting!

  10. I haven’t been this affected since i watched gossip girl last night (that show is so good!). This whole entire thing just makes me wanna go to church and pray.

    I’ve got it all planned out! FIRST, it’ll start innocently enough just a lil sweet talk between me and G-Money. Then, it’ll progress and get dirtier and nastier and louder untill i’m like having a seizure on the floor (with the holy spirit of course). Finally, i’ll wet myself and begin to talk in tongues (lalalalalala) as i scream and claw at the shocked crowd as my dress goes up revealing that i am a prettyboy….one day *sigh*

    Cheer up you guys! It’ll be okay, lets resist the urge to beat our african-american brothers and sisters who voted for this with the very brooms our(i’m half on my mother’s side but I prefer to call myself mixed or biracial to incorporate my dad’s heritage) ancestors jumped over two centuries ago. SMILE and LAUGH because “every dog has it’s day, and every diva NEEDS HER GAY!”

    P.S. I thought it was funny CianFtl…..heh

  11. While I am thrilled that Obama won, I cannot help but be disheartened by the polls that came out showing the highest percentage of voters for Prop 8 were actually … African American. The same people who came out in droves to break down the barriers of discrimination somehow managed to reconcile their contradictory views by listening to these people:

    —Apostle Frederick K.C. Price of the influential Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles hosted and led off a press conference with dozens of local African American religious leaders yesterday saying that “we shouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the future of our family and our children.” 50 African American and Latino pastors from greater Los Angeles, all standing up individually to express their support for YES on Proposition 8.

    Joining Dr. Price in supporting YES on Prop 8 was Dr. Beverly “Vam” Crawford, Senior Pastor of Bible Enrichment Fellowship Int’l Church, and Bishop Frank Stewart of the Zoe Christian Fellowship in Los Angeles. Dr. Crawford reminded the two hundred supporters gathered for the event that “we must do what is right and stand for our children. We cannot afford to let this affect our babies in our schools.”—

  12. I’ve given it long and hard thought… no pun intended… and I think I finally figured out fundamentalist Christian belief as to why homosexuality will destroy our society. Please, open your mind and believe…

    You see, anal sex stimulates the prostate. But pushing the prostate releases the hiney-troll monsters so that they can run amock and destroy families.

    Hiney troll monsters live in the large intestines and are kept in there by sphincters. To release the sphincter is to give them access to the outside world. Remember, prostate exams have the same effect, so make sure never to get one of those either. Because if we let them out into the world, the hand of God will have to smote our nation so as to destroy all the horrible hiney-troll demons.

    That can be the only explanation, honestly. Otherwise this person (http://www.alternet.org/blogs/democracy/106102/the_man_behind_proposition_8/) is a total nutcase. So either Jebus freaks are nutcases, or hiney troll demons will destroy us all. Occam’s razor can only suggest… well… I think you know.

    Yeah… the butt button will set the hiney troll demons loose and destroy American families.

    Yeah.

  13. I want to know why it is that 69% of African American Voters voted yes on Prop 8. WHY.. How can you justify this? There is not a single reason you can give me that makes that okay. SHAME

  14. Margaret, I just did something that someone suggested to me. I talked to a Mormon missionary about why he voted for Prop 8, and why his church poured so much money into it. I think that if enough people do this, maybe, evetually, we can make some people see that they are hurting real people with this stuff. It doesn’t have to be Mormons, anybody who voted for or supported this hate will do.

    I went to lds.org and clicked ASK A QUESTION, then chose live chat. The guy I got kept trying to give me links, but I insisted on asking him how he, personally, was able to justify hurting so many families. He never gave me a real answer, other than the standard old talking points. He even claimed that he had a gay uncle, and that God would comfort the people he and his church have hurt. But maybe, just maybe, some of the things I said will stick, and he might start to think about it. It’s a small step, but what if everyone starts to reach out in a one-on-one way like this?

  15. Unfortunately, many of the “yes on 8′ idiots are also the same people (dare I call them idiots?) who voted for Obama. Oh well. Don’t blame me- I had the sense to support Hillary, and I know that I did all that I could to stop what we’re in for, b/c I think it’s going to get ugly.

  16. You are right, Jesus is totally bummed out. Because he was probably gay. And the folks who so fervently cause harm in his name would be appalled if it is even hinted at that the saviour was gay.

  17. Marian This is exactly how we are going to change things. I talk to as many people as I can. Not from rhetoric or talking points but from my own very personal experience.

    As often as I can I make sure to mention that the Federal Government punishes me for having my partner on my health insurance at work. (Anything my company pays for her health insurance is counted against me as taxable income. This only applies to gay couples, not straight couples.) This blows peoples minds when they hear about it. Most straight people (yep, even the allies) don’t know about this.

    It is a great way to start off the conversation about how the laws are just unfair. I make sure I phrase it as “with 44,000,000 uninsured Americans it isn’t fair that the government is punishing me for doing the right thing and taking care of my partner.”

    The ONLY way we will change this is by one mind at a time and that means that ALL of us will need to start sharing our stories in one way or another. If you can’t come out where you are then BLOG. Blog about what it is like to be closeted. Blog about how soul killing it is to have to lie about who you are. Blog…

  18. I’ll do more than hint when I go to church like I mentioned above…..all because I think it’s funny (it feels so good to say that) which is the BEST reason to do anything offensive!….*sigh* one day I will act a fool in church as is my life’s dream…*looks into the starry sky*

  19. Crap. This is very sad news about Prop 8.
    People should just live their lives and stay out of other peoples business.
    I heard that the marriages that were performed will remained legal.
    And I guess that’s the good news.

    And like someone all ready said….Barack tippy toed around gay marriage. All the candidates did, and gently extended their greasy palms to support “Civil Unions”.
    Gavin Newsome has been quoted in the press stating that none of the Democratic nominees
    would be photographed with him, fearing backlash being photographed with a gay marriage
    advocate.

    So, yes I am relieved that McCain and Palin did not make it into the White House, but I think BO is a freakin phoney windbag. He’s got some proving to do before I can get behind him.

  20. It never ceases to amaze me that people are so shaky in their own morality that they have to legislate away the rights of others in order to prop themselves up.

    I mean, seriously, how does my gay neighbors getting married have anything to do with me? More power to them if they’re brave enough or foolish enough to stand up in front of god and everyone they know and say they’ll stay together forever!

    I guess my feelings on this issue are too simplistic. Against gay marriage? Don’t marry a gay. Legislating away the rights of a fellow human being who thinks differently just seems so—unchristian.

  21. Oh Margaret, I’m so sad and disappointed in the people who voted Yes on Prop 8. It’s really disgusting. I live in UT, so I’m surrounded by a bunch of Mormons, and at the very moment they are celebrating their so called “victory” on their help on the ban on gay marriage in CA. It’s so sickening. The LDS Church actually donated a reported $20 Million dollars in support on Prop 8. This is so fucking gross! Do you know what good this church could have done with that money? Do you know how many people in need they could have helped? I guess these Mormons are too damn blind to see that. They donated… no, more like wasted millions of dollars to intrude in other peoples lives… peoples lives that have nothing to do with their own lives. Their ruining so many peoples lives as well. But they’re too fucking blind to see it. Too closed minded to understand the damage they’re causing. I just hate how they say gay people are pushing our “lifestyle” on them, when it’s completely the other way around! They’re the ones that are pushing their beliefs on us, and wasting money on a matter that doesn’t concern them… or even hurting them for that matter. So sad. So disappointed.

    I don’t know how much longer I can take living here in UT. It’s just so hard for me to live here. Actually, I’m surprised that I’m still even alive after having to put up with the ignorance, prejudice and hate from these people. I live in fear when I live with these so called “Christ Like” people who claim they only do good and they do nothing but help out others in need. But all they’re doing is repressing people who don’t see eye to eye with them. We are shut out of their society. And it’s a society that I don’t mind being shut out from. I just wish they would just respect me and others like me instead of pushing their ignorance on others.

  22. I live in Canada and I am still appalled that there is such hatred and animosity towards gay and lesbian individuals who have cohabited among “heterosexuals” for eons. If I could have voted, it’s needless to say that I would have voted NO on the Prop 8.

    I just hope that one day, the haters and evil-doers who work to create and sustain the walls between us and them will realize that we don’t need another Berlin Wall – we need to be respectful of each and every individual’s needs. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached level that yet – but it’s coming, oh, it is COMING!!!

    Keep up the good fight!

  23. Ugh I can’t stand those religion idiots, religion should be banned, they hurt and manipulate people, hey those who voted Yes on Prop 8 are the ones who voted for discrimination and hate, those who voted for No on Prop 8 are the ones who voted for respect, love, peace, rights and harmony between us humans in the society. Hate and discrimination should be banned, religion that hurts, discriminates and disrespects people should be banned, while gay people who are not hurting anyone, only loving someone else should not be banned and should be respected by the society for being human beings like everyone else and for loving so much another human being. Please stop the hate, the violence, the insults and the discrimination, we are all human beings, we all deserve to love, to receive love and to be respected. I love you Margaret Cho, and never stop doing what you do, your comedy inspires me to be a better person, to be happy and laugh in these difficult times, I can’t wait to see your Beautiful Tour on DVD so I can laugh my ass off all day at home, and never stop supporting same sex love, because I know that gay people’s love is much stronger, deeper and serious than those fake heterosexual couples’ love these days.

    With love and a lot of support,

    Alonso.

  24. Racism from white gay males in the gay community is a huge problem in California that has been swept under the rug for many years. Minorities who try to confront this problem are shunned. This may explain the reason why gays don’t get a lot of support from minority groups. Until racism is addressed within gay community, there will be this split between these groups.

  25. I too am from canada – was lucky enough to be in times square last night and I was so moved by the emotion and excitement that everyone had displayed. I was so excited for the Obama win, not only for the US, but for Canada as well – our Prime Minister, Harper, was Bush’s buddy – hopefully with Obama, our PM will be kept a little more in check.

    I think basic human rights shouldn’t be put to a vote – period. The fact that the majority are voting on what the minority should have for rights is ridiculous… however, if history has seen anything it is that there is hope. But more work needs to be done – just like the win for Obama is not the end of the struggle for equal rights for racial minorities, the overturning of the decision in california is not an end for the struggle for equal rights for the lgbtq community. It is a time to regroup and reattack the problem with hopes that one day true equal rights will be recognized.

  26. Obama’s symbolic gestures, such as refusing to be photographed with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom due to his support of gay marriage, and his inclusion of homophobic ministers in his forty days of faith tour, are at a minimum dismissive, and at worst, hostile towards gay rights. Yes he did mention gays in his acceptance speech, but that’s the usual candy-throwing from a politician.

  27. To the poster above, unfortunately idealistic views do not match the harsh realities of society. You have to be REALISTIC. If Obama did a photo layout with Gavin Newsom, wore rainbow t shirts, and advocated gay marriage, we would have a repeat of 2004. Conservatives would just use all of that as propaganda to scare off the straight majority. Look at how conservatives used gay marriage literature for kindergardners from the Massachusetts school as propaganda to scare Christian parents into voting yes on prop 8. Did we really make gay marriage a required education material for kindergardners? Parents don’t even talk about straight sexuality with their own kids. Gays need to realize we are not mainstream and can’t have everything go 100% our way. Unfortunately making compromises is something we have to face. Pushing the gay agenda down straight people’s throats (who control 90% of the votes) is not going to help us because social change doesn’t occur overnight. Maybe Obama isn’t the most vocal gay rights advocate but do you rather have another conservative Republican who doesn’t like gays in the white house? For now, we do need to make some compromises to win the small battles which will eventually help us win the war for equality.

  28. This general anti-gay marriage movement across America is a major blow for all the LGBT across the world. There is still a lot to be done but we have to keep up the fight.

  29. I’m not sure what god these people are worshipping, because my God loves all. And His son is pretty good at loving everyone, too.

    Actually, I take that back. I suspect my God and His son hate priests that fuck little boys in the ass, and the church hierarchy who hide the pedophiles in other parishes instead of turning them in.

  30. In all reality, the sudden shift in California politics is something to be noted. Although it was a victory on behalf of progressivism in the 20th and 21st century, I am crazy excited about the future of Californian politics. In the Prop22 issue of 2000, there was a huge gap in support of banning gay marriage. Tuesday showed a 4% discrepancy between both sides. If social justice is to occur, these movements will have to continue to attack this shady amendment.

    On the other hand, three cheers for the president-elect.
    “And though it seems heaven sent,” I believe we’re ready for a Black president -Tupac’ish

  31. In all reality, the sudden shift in California politics is something to be noted. Although it was a victory on behalf of progressivism in the 20th and 21st century, I am crazy excited about the future of Californian politics. In the Prop22 issue of 2000, there was a huge gap in support of banning gay marriage. Tuesday showed a 4% discrepancy between both sides. If social justice is to occur, these movements will have to continue to attack this shady amendment.

    On the other hand, three cheers for the president-elect.

  32. On this anniversary of Stonewall, I ask my gay sisters and brothers to make the commitment to fight. For themselves, for their freedom, for their country … We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets … We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, the distortions. We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I’m going to talk about it. And I want you to talk about it. You must come out. Come out to your parents, your relatives.

    And the young gay people in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias and the Richmond, Minnesotas who are coming out and hear Anita Bryant in television and her story. The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us’es, the us’es will give up. And if you help elect to the central committee and other offices, more gay people, that gives a green light to all who feel disenfranchised, a green light to move forward. It means hope to a nation that has given up, because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to everyone.

    -Harvey Milk 1974 “Hope Speech”

    It’s ironic to me that Gay Rights Amendments in Florida and California are repeating themselves 35 years later. For every civil and human rights issue, history has shown that we are defeated before we prevail. But we have to have hope, so once fairness and equality is finally achieved – it makes victory so much sweeter. Let’s hope for a brighter future with a President who will at least recognize us and hope that the courts will hear our voices. I am proud and humbled to have been apart of the largest grassroots movement in our states history. But there is more work to be done. Stand strong and let’s continue to tell our stories and educate people about the lies and deception.

    See you in Reno Margaret 🙂

  33. i thought the whole idea behind the founding of america was freedom. its a constitutional fucking RIGHT to freely choose…where i work, where i live, what i say, what i think,where i go to church…and i was under the impression (me being american and what not) that i also had a choice in who i love and marry. NONE of this should rightfully even BE up for discussion, much less a voting matter. we should ALL automatically be legally entitled to be married to whomever any of us should choose. i think all of the conservative closed minded assholes in this country need to shut the fuck up and stop worrying about who IM fucking and start worrying about things that are LEGITAMATE issues in this country like poverty and healthcare and so on and so forth…and another thing im sick and tired of these so called “christian” values that people are trying to force me to listen to. if these people are SO concerned about everyone in the world going to hell for being sinners, shouldn’t they all take a step back and re-evaluate their own actions BEFORE they come knocking down MY door telling me that im doomed to a firey after life? i thought their OWN philosophy was “judge not” and “we are ALL created in the likeness of god” MY god loves me for WHO i am, and NOT what i leave in the collection plate, and he doesn’t judge me for the way i am

    NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER BACK DOWN, NEVER SHUT UP, AND NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE!!!!!

  34. Well, I offer my congratulations to all the Obama supporters. Your guy did it. I wish Barack the best of luck as president. However, I’m reserving judgement until after he takes office and implements some policies. But even though he wasn’t my first choice, I still figure he’ll be better than Oldy McOlderton and Danielle Boone the wild frontierswoman.

    AS I said in an earlier post, I was a Bob Barr supporter, and while I knew he wouldn’t win, I thought he would fare better in the election than he did (he came in behind Nader, for God’s sake.) Ah well, no sense grousing on defeat. I graciously accept that my candidate bit it hard, concede to the winners, and I offer this concession speech which I paraphrased from Penn Jillette:

    “You rat bastards don’t deserve a Libertarian president. Cheat, cheat, never beat. Liar, liar, pants on fire. You should all choke on your own vomit… better yet, choke on someone else’s vomit and die. I think you should be pigs cursed for a million years.”

  35. I wish there were more Margaret Cho’s in this world! You are an inspiration, a breath of fresh political air and a heroine! Love you always, Ban

  36. Paul: you say you had the “good sense to support Hillary”…why is that? I do not think Hillary was better than Obama on gay rights in general, and like Obama she supported civil unions but not gay marriage.

    D. Polar: as long as we’re quoting African-American religious leaders, here’s another one, this time from Obama’s former pastor, Rev. Wright, from a sermon he gave in the 90’s:

    “I refuse to limit my God, to lock God into my cultural understandings because culture is fickle,” Wright said. “And culture is often wrong. Culture was wrong about slavery. Culture was wrong about women. Culture was wrong about Africans and Indians, and culture was wrong about Christ,” he said. “I have been the pariah among many of my clergy colleagues who somehow see me as defective or not quite saved because I won’t join them in their homophobic gay bashing and misquoting of scripture.”

    (quoted in the washingtonblade:
    http://www.washingtonblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17266 )

    My point is, please, please don’t try to paint a picture of the entire Black community as homophobic. The California NAACP opposed Prop 8, in fact. So did the Greater Sacramento Urban League and several other minority and civil rights organizations:

    http://www.noonprop8.com/about/who-opposes-prop-8

    Let’s not repay our African-American allies with racism or pretend they don’t exist–if we do, it will only deepen the divide. Read this article by Kathryn Kolbert; it makes a lot of good points:

    http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/11/blaming_black_v.html

  37. Why do you guys still keep saying that an Obama victory is pro gay rights? I mean, he is a Christian. He believes in the bible, which states that if a man should lie with another man, he’s blood shall be shed.
    How can you support a man who believes such silly nonsense? A man who supports a book that calls for the killing of Gay people.

    He is also pro armageddon. He is also anti womens rights. He is in fact, a pro violent man, because he is a man of the Bible, and the Bible preaches violence.
    Again, I repeat – He is a friggin Christian people! Wake the fuck up!
    Christians like Obama have waged a war against homosexuals and lesbians for several thousand years now.

    What, you like him, just because he’s of colour? Have you heard of Evo Morales? He was elected several years ago… did you people go nuts over that victory?
    So Cho did you forget what Martin Luther King said? “regardless of his race or colour” but this election was alll about voting for a black guy – it was all about colour.
    How short a memory we have.

  38. Reading over all of this, I am reaffirmed of the fact that liberal lefties are hardwired to insert digs at \whites\, \white society\, and especially \white males\ where-ever and whenever possible, even if for no earthly reason. How else can someone arrive at the conclusion that the hostility of minority groups toward gays is somehow explainable by antagonism from gay white males? Perhaps all the queer skinheads – supposedly a \huge problem\ in California – turned up on polling day to hold guns to the heads of minority voters in a ploy to shitcan prob 8 and undermine minority-gay relations all at once.

    I realize that in chastising \white upper-middle class heterosexuals in California\, as one poster did, he is merely executing his prime directive; nevertheless it wouldn’t hurt to remind everyone of the fact that prop 8 was passed BECAUSE OF the strong support from minorities, especially blacks and hispanics, and that \white upper-middle class heterosexuals in California\ are, in fact, mostly pro-gay latte-drinking yuppies who formed the political backbone of prop 8.

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