One Big Obama step forward, Two smaller steps backwards

Well we've done it. We broke the race barrier and have a new leader that I think can get us going again. But the victory is bitter sweet for me, because while we have a true leader taking over the White House, I find myself feeling like a stranger in my own "house" of California. We have voted to write discrimination into our constitution and not only does this affect me personally right now, but the opportunity it opens to now deny rights to others is what the real sadness is. A shortsighted majority of homophobic voters has opened a door to all kinds of exclusions of rights now. I truly hope the courts can step in and fix it.

Then in addition to our own state drama, a friend has informed me that her state of Arkansas has taken away the right to adopt or be a foster parent unless you are a "married couple" which not only discriminates against non-traditional couples it also affects single people that would otherwise make wonderful supporting families in favor of a fairytale that all too often doesn't exist.

So, America has shown that while we can rise above racial prejudice for the sake of our country we still have a lot of work to do. There is still a lot of bias and injustice to be fixed. There is still a lot of prejudice and wrong thinking out there. There is still a lot of fear of those different, and a feeling of ones security or norm being threatened by "outsiders". I have to say, and I've heard it said before, there are a lot of people hiding behind a cloak of Christianity that don't ever seem to look deeper into the teaching of Christ... so here it is again, from more sources than I can list here:

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002.

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone

According to the Gospel of John, the Pharisees, in an attempt to discredit Jesus, brought a woman charged with adultery before him. Then they reminded Jesus that adultery was punishable by stoning under Mosaic law and challenged him to judge the woman so that they might then accuse him of disobeying the law. Jesus thought for a moment and then replied,
“He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”
The people crowded around him were so touched by their own consciences that they departed. When Jesus found himself alone with the woman, he asked her who were her accusers.
She replied, “No man, lord.”
Jesus then said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.”

I think this older post from 2006 also makes an important point:

The proper order of things...