I am Opinionated and Have Discriminating Taste, but am in No Way a Bigot

When I make a grilled cheese sandwich, I choose cheddar cheese over all the rest. When I sleep, I pick the left side of the bed over the right. When I have to wear shoes, I go with flip-flops over slip-ons. Those who know me, know that I am set in my ways as to the above, and I have millions of wonderful arguments as to why I am the way I am.

Does this mean that I am a bigot?

Apparently, according to ALL of the "No on Prop 8" people, it does.

For some reason, my "discrimination" over marriage has made me a bigot, but my discrimination over cheese doesn't. Discrimination isn't an all encompassing no-no. It is necessary in life in order to make decisions. If I don't discriminate, I get no where. Affirmative action was nothing more than a way to discriminate against one race of people who had discriminated against another race before. Just because I say marriage is for one man and one woman does not make me a bigot.

The dictionary defines "bigot" as follows:

a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices ; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

bigot. (2008). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.Retrieved November 1, 2008, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bigot

For those of you too lazy to look it up, the word "obstinately" means to stick to your opinion in spite of logic and reason.

Logically, marriage has alway been the institution from which future generations come. Reason (proved by history) tells me that the natural reason to get married is to have children. People practice arranged marriage all over the world, even in California. That tells me that marriage isn't just about a formal commitment to a person you love.

With that being said, I have overcome the first part of the real "bigot" definition

Part two, however, may be more difficult--oh wait, I don't hate the LGBT community and don't want any of them thrown in jail for their lifestyle. In fact, there are quite a few LGBT people I know that get irritated by me because I won't point out that they are "different" from me. I guess that is my problem; I don't look at people's differences as a reason to classify them. I learned long ago that everyone is different and that life is much better if you focus on the commonalities instead of the differences.

Alright, I have proved that I am not a bigot.

Now, can YOU prove that you are not a bigot?

Step 1:Do you have a well reasoned, logical argument for your opposition to traditional marriage and desire for same-sex marriage?

Step 2: Do you tolerate me and my belieifs, or do you hate me and throw things at me when I stand on the corner waving my signs? Do you spit on my car in the parking lot because of my bumper sticker? Do you assault me when I am out polling the neighbors? Do you methodically strive to take away my right to speak my mind? Do you commit crimes against me when you trespass on my property and steal my signs?

If you can answer "yes" to the first step and "no" to the second, then you too have passed the test and are not a bigot. Of course, in order to get your "I'm Not a Bigot" card, you will need to give your argument for "step 1", and also prove that you have not been in any way involved in any act outlined in "step 2" or any similar act.

By the way, I don't call people bigots because I feel that "bigot" is a hateful word, and I don't want to hate anyone--I guess its just part of me not being a bigot.