marry each other. They fought all the way to the Supreme Court, which struck down miscegenation laws as unconstitutional in 1967's Loving v. Virgina.The story of the Loving's courage to fight for what they believed in is inspiring. But one of the most poignant parts of their story is to hear what life was really like back then. When they were being sentenced for violating VA's Racial Integrity Act (for being married and of different races), Judge Leon M. Bazile said to them:
"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He
placed them on separate continents," Bazile said. " The fact that He
separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix."
It makes me feel lucky to live in this day and age, and not that one. But it also makes me realize how far we, as a society, have yet to go before we stop blaming our irrational prejudices on God. God does not cause us to hate. On the contrary, he gave us love, unlimited amounts of it. We're the ones who are using love as a weapon against those we hate.
I had never heard about Loving v. Virgina before I came to law school, but I have a feeling that it is going to become more an more commonly known as the gay civil rights movement gains momentum. Contrary to Judge Bazile's opinion, I think that if God didn't want us to be equal and to love each other, then he wouldn't have made us and put us here in the first place. To use an old expression: God don't make no junk.
RIP: Mildred Loving (1939-2008)
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3 comments:
Well said. People can really make fools of themselves when they start judging each other, purportedly on God's behalf. Like you mentioned in your Proactiv post, it's a pretty clear no-no. I completely agree.
i found out about her death the morning of my con law final. interestingly enough, i had to use the case in discussing whether marriage was a fundamental right re: polygamy
If God wants us to love each other, why would he create some people who are just constitutionally incapable of loving others in the way you have in mind (I'm thinking here of psychopaths, etc)? Or why would he inflict certain experiences on innocent children which may have the effect of rendering them incapable--or close to it--of enacting/feeling full, complete, embracing love? Why would he make it so much harder for certain people to feel love than others? It seems unequal in a way which strikes me as inconsistent with a god who "gave us love, unlimited amounts of it".
enjoying playing devil's advocate,
ric
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