grinding gears 1.0

We'll call this a post about "what really grinds my gears" - because I most of the time I tend to write when someone or something aggravates me.  

A couple days ago, Starbucks posted this status message on Facebook:

We are proud to support Marriage Equality legislation in the Washington State Legislature. (read full article).  

This was awesome.  Granted, if I'm going out for coffee I'd much rather patronize Alterra or Stone Creek Coffee because they're local - but now I feel a bit better about going to a "big box coffee shop".  Hey, a girl needs a caramel frappucino every once in a while. Outside of my need for a java fix, it's nice to see a mega-corporation align with my views on an issue - especially one I've been involved with (some could say personally) for quite some time.  

One of my best friends from college came out to me seven months after we graduated.  My response was "That's nice, could you get me another beer."  A unique response?  Perhaps.  But the point was his that I didn't care if he was gay - he was still my friend.  That wasn't about to change.  And on that cold December day over a decade ago, my journey as a straight LGBT advocate began.  More than a handful of friends have come out to me since, probably because I won't judge and I accept people for who they are, not their sexual orientation.  Period.  And honestly, I feel every else should do the same (but we sure as hell know that isn't the case).

Back to this wonderful (and somewhat ballsy, seeing the issue at hand) post from Starbucks. I try to keep political banter to a minimum, so I simply "liked" the status.  Then I noticed a male friend posted this comment:

I am so glad I am no longer associated with this filthy corporation.

My initial response was "what the fuck?"   I fail to see why their stance on marriage equality is "filthy".  Seriously.  You can come at the religious angle all you want.  From what I choose to accept and translate from the collection of stories called the Bible, Jesus accepted EVERYONE - regardless of race, creed, religion, socio-economic status, etc. EVERYONE includes sexual orientation. Alienating and damning a whole facet of our population to hell is certainty not "Christian-like".  And I don't think Jesus would approve.

Religious views aside, It seems to me that legislation (and constitutional amendments) were supposed to grant citizens rights - not take them away.  With all the "exclusions" currently in our society, I seriously question the state humanity and our future.

To be in love with someone and be raising a family with someone and want to make that commitment and not be able to is ludicrous, just ludicrous. - Brad Pitt