Voting, the epilogue, strikes back

An e-mail thread from earlier today:

From: David
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 10:47 AM
To: Jennifer
Subject: "It lacks any purpose other than to enshrine bigotry in the Texas Constitution."

Nice – this new amendment will allow companies to stop providing domestic partner benefits. Even for straight people. I hate Texas and George Bush. Let’s move somewhere!

http://blog.lgrl.org/archives/2005/09/houston_chronic.html

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jennifer
To: Ryan
Subject: FW: "It lacks any purpose other than to enshrine bigotry in the Texas Constitution."

Yuck

---------- message ----------
From: Ryan
To: Jennifer, Mary
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 11:04:10 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: FW: "It lacks any purpose other than to enshrine bigotry in the Texas Constitution."

i was really really upset about this yesterday.

i went and voted yesterday after work, and it was at the cute little elementary school off Fairview (im still registered in montrose).... it made me realize what a bubble i live in. Most of the fellow voters I saw at the school seemed like really cool sweet caring open minded folk. young and old.

and then N----- called me last night - he had been watching the polls come in.... he said 76% of texans voted FOR prop 2. i couldnt believe how high the numbers are. 76% are complete bigots. its really sad and frustrating. i feel like its the 1950's all over again. sucks to be gay. i feel like i am going to constantly going to have to prove myself for the rest of my life. to my family, strangers i meet, my work, my neighbors, my government. bullshit.

---------- message ----------
From: Mary
To: Ryan
Subject: Re: Re: FW: "It lacks any purpose other than to enshrine bigotry in the Texas Constitution."

I truly believe that 1. education and 2. gay/lesbian rights are our generation's civil rights issues.

It's not easy to live in Texas, but think of how important the work you do at the counseling center and IN YOUR LIFE is to what we can clearly see as an oppressed Texas minority (and by that, i mean the 20% who voted hell no). It would be fabulous to live in San Fran or any other smart liberal city in the country, just like I could have taught at suburban school with high parent involvement, but would I have been able to make as much of an educational impact to those people in that place?

Texas needs you. And me. And Montrose. And it needs people like us to BREED (Hahahaha) or adopt or whatever and bring smart little people into the world. Which is not to say that we can never move away, but I don't think we should feel like we have to.

Or should we all move to San Fran and cut it loose and live on a happy isolated island?