Third grader organises and speaks at pro-gay marriage rally
Posted by Mathew | May 20, 2009 | No Comments
This is a video taken of Ethan McNamee’s speech, which he delivered at a pro-gay marriage rally that he organised for a school project last Saturday, May 16. Ethan, a nine year old third grader from Montclaire Elementary School in Denver, Colorado, showed amazing poise for his age in front of the crowd that had gathered outside of the steps of the Denver state capitol building.
Below the video, I have also transcribed Ethan’s speech (as best I could. Please let me know if you believe I’ve transcribed anything incorrectly.
I will follow up with some remarks on this event in a separate post.
(This is now published: Ethan McNamee – 9yo gay-marriage advocate.)
While I definitely applaud Ethan’s spirit, courage and confidence to organise such an event, if I were in the crowd I would be one of the ones he describes as having “different views than us”. I will not be unkind – to either Ethan or to those he was specifically addressing and encouraging – but I do wish to address some of the short-comings of what I see in the arguments that not only Ethan used, but what most people in support of gay marriage typically espouse.
Transcription:
First I’d like to thank everyone for coming, specifically the speakers who took their free time, to come and speak and to support me in equal marriage rights.
At our rally today, there might be some people who have some different views than us, who might say some unkind things, but please keep all your positive energy on the rally. Despite the view of these people, I believe I am doing the right thing and lots and lots of people think many lives better.
I believe that everybody is equal, no matter their religion, race or sexual orientation. In the past, different figures in history have improved civil rights like Martin Luther King and Gandhi and things got better. But not for everyone.
We need to continue to fight for equal rights for gays and lesbians.
Over time, things have gotten better for gays and lesbians but there are two things that have not improved entirely: 1) equal protection for gays and lesbians, and 2) equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians.
I believe that everyone deserves equal protection; this includes police officers and government officials without bias.
On July 9th 2008, an off duty police offer threw the first punch in an anti-gay bar fight and smashed a glass into a gay man’s face before running off. At school you are taught that police are supposed to be your friend. How are you supposed to believe that when you are gay and a police office just smashed a glass into a gay person’s face?
Have you ever heard of a police officer smashing a glass into a straight man’s face? Not all police officers are like this.
I also believe that everyone deserves the choice to get married. I don’t understand why people seem to think that Civil Unions are the same as marriage.
In Civil Unions you don’t get the same benefits. Such as if your partners dies, you don’t get their retirement and social security money.
Why are straight couples better than gay and lesbian couples? How would you feel if you weren’t allowed to get married in the way that you see a straight couple get married?
People marry because they love each other and want to stay with each other for the rest of their lives. That’s important to children and to adults.
If you were married you could go to the hospital to see your partner. If you aren’t married you can’t be there if your partner is sick or dies. Do you think it’s fair that one person can stand by their partner when they are sick, but that a gay and lesbian person can’t? But getting married is not only a right but a responsibility.
In conclusion, there is a lot more work to be done regarding marriage equality and equal protection. I hope this rally will make an impact and allow a lot of voices to be heard. Once again I would like to thank everyone for coming.
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Tags: culture > Ethan McNamee > homosexuality > marriage > same-sex marriage > sexuality
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