A Day without Responsibility is More of an Accurate Representation.

So, I have decided to ignore this issue for a long time, because in my mind, there are way more important things going on in the world. Currently, there are riots in Greece, a Governer of Illinois under arrest, tensions in the middle east, Russia's dealings with Chavez and other dictators...you name it, and there's a lot more worldly events going on.

However, I am finally so irritated by this issue, that I have to mention something about it. I don't want to dwell on it, I don't want to keep discussing it, but I think that something needs to be said.

The Associated Press reports that there is a movement to call in to work this Wednesday if you are gay. I find this idea not only lacking in common sense, but just overall irritating.

For starters, all of the mess of protests with people over Prop 8 should have ended when the bill was voted on. In the true democratic fashion, the issue was proposed, and voted upon, and all is said and done. For example - I am not happy that Barack Obama got elected. I will be crticial of his administration and I will have a watchful eye on the government, but I am not calling for his removal from office, or a recount of the vote or anything of the sort. So let's get that clear - it's time for the gay community to stop bitching about this.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying whether I agree with Prop 8 one way or another. Like I said, it's low on my priority list. If I remember correctly, in the state of California, domestic partnerships are still allowed - just not marriage. In essence, if you really want to look at it, marriage is a thing that typically takes place in the church, and I don't think at any time any church is going to change its stance on gay marriage.

Now, let's adress this idea of "A Day without A Gay." The economy is currently in hard times, and from any office I have been to or worked in, there hasn't ever been some sort of open discussion relating to whether or not anyone in the office is gay or not. Hell, even in my band we have a gay member (I won't say who), and it wasn't or never has been an issue. The point is that you should be keeping your personal life at home, and your work while in the office. The people who are really going to suffer from this sort of "protest" are the employer. The person who has given these individuals jobs, and let them come work for them. It can't be an issue with the employer if all of these people are currently employed. So, all they are doing is being irresponsible and hurting the business - a business in which they aren't persecuted in if they are currently employed.

Let me put it in these terms: it is not responsible under any fashion to just skip out on a day to work. For example, if we are playing a show or are on tour, myself, other band members, and management are not going to tolerate someone skipping out "just because," or for any reason that is against anything signed in a contract or against the good will for the band. A band is a business. You come to work, you do your job, and you make sure to help the sucess of all that are involved, including yourself. The same principles hold true in any workplace as well. Home and work are two seperate entities.

So, this is why I am speaking about this issue. I find it irritating, and very irresponsible. I will commend the organizer, Sean Hetherington for at least telling high school kids not to skip school and college students not to skip their exams. This shows at least some form of responsibility and that he is at least pondering the impact of how this may affect people's lives.

However, people are responsible for their own decisions, and nobody should complain if you are in trouble for a no-call-no-show to the office, restaurant, store, or wherever you may work. Keep in mind before you call into work that there are plenty of other hardworking Americans who are out of work right now and would love to be employed. It is okay to protest, it is okay to voice your opinion on a matter, but if you aren't doing it with any degree of civility or regards to those around you, then you aren't making the right kind of political statement at all.

-The Rocker-