Something to Fight For

Walking downtown the other day, I saw a group of maybe fifty or sixty people on the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street holding signs that promoted equality and protested Prop Eight. Usually, where they were standing, there's a man in his fifties, all by himself, quoting the Bible and calling random people sinners. It was a nice change, seeing people screaming about equal rights and acceptance rather than hate and fear, and the scene was somehow so inspiring that I wished I had my camera. I later found this picture online:

It used to amaze me when I saw people passionate enough about something to make them want to leave their homes and stand on a street corner to fight for change and acceptance. Sure, they might get the changes they want, but it's likely that, in the process, they'll be looked down on and challenged. It's not like I never felt strongly about something before, but I could never quite picture myself out on the street holding that sign.

But as I walked past the other night, I felt like grabbing one of those signs and yelling with them. Everything's more important now, and everything needs to be taken care of with a new sense of urgency. From gay rights and racism to global warming, I feel like fighting for it all, with everything I have, because I can't know what issues Mason's going to have to deal with and I don't want it to be as hard for him as it is for so many people. I recycle, I don't litter, I shut the water off when I brush my teeth, and when I get my license back you're dang right I'll be driving one of those eco-friendly SUVs. I pay attention to the news, even the stuff I don't fully understand, like taxes and bailouts and the stock market situation. I could come up with a very long list of things I would stand up for... ending the war, fixing our health care system, reforming education, limiting childhood vaccinations, breastfeeding, showing tolerance/giving equal rights, protecting the environment... I could go on and on and argue passionately over any and all of them.

I never cared about fighting those fights before. But now I have something to fight for. This little guy: