Elections in America are quite weird.
Given that, you have to admit that I live in the weirdest city of all.
Here we have several odd ballot measures.
One would rename our sewage plant the "George W. Bush Sewage Plant."
Another would decriminalize prostitution.
I oppose both of these. Here's why. As much as I regret what Bush's policies have done to my country, I don't see any point in sticking his name on our shit. Like most Americans, we are incredibly wasteful in San Francisco, and that is our problem, not his, not anybody else's.
As for decriminalizing "sex work," if I felt that the young women working the streets and brothels of this city really were in control of their own decisions, I could support it. But, I suspect that pimps control most prostitutes. Furthermore, here in the Bay Area, we've had a series of police raids lately revealing that very many young girls, some of whom were kidnapped in foreign countries and brought here as virtual sex slaves, are the ones Johns are going to.
***
Beyond the local measures, we have a statewide measure that would take away the hard-won right of same-sex marriage from gay and lesbian couples. That this is even on the ballot saddens me. If the hate-mongers (mainly Mormans from Utah) succeed in scaring enough ignorant Californians into voting for this measure, we will once again retreat from where we Californians need to be. Our job, as the biggest and most progressive state, is to lead, not follow the other parts of this country.
But mark my words. Should Prop. 8 win, nothing will be settled. Justice can be delayed, but never denied.
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment