Or, more accurately, giggling while Hawaii heads down the road to perdition.
This afternoon while driving, I listened to the governor of Hawaii quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer while signing a "civil union" bill into law. It was quite a joyous occasion apparently, and humorous, too with lots of jolly laughter and joking.
This was really a bizarre experience for me, as I realized--yet again--that the values I hold are increasingly in the minority.
The governor went to great lengths to describe that "aloha" and "e komo mai" mean all are welcome, and that "our diversity is what defines us, not what divides us." I really wish I could believe that. Really I do. But it was an extremely bad choice in quoting Bonhoeffer--a Christian theologian and martyr--during the signing of a bill that legalizes something specifically named as sinful in the bible. I can't decide if it was a purposeful slap to the face of the many Christians who testified against this bill, or if it was a gaffe of ignorance. (I'm inclined toward the ignorance explanation, primarily, I confess, because of Abercrombie's reputation for a fondness of a particular herb.)
I don't have a gut reaction to the idea of civil unions. Just because the world calls something OK, doesn't make it so. However, I am not naive enough to think that civil unions will be the end of this issue. This, as do all monumental shifts in morality, will have a rather significant ripple effect. I'm not sure specifically how that will play out, but I do know that as we slide down that slippery slope, our leaders will be jolly and laughing all the way.
