Melissa Etheridge needs to take her tax revolt a little further
Writing for The Daily Beast, Etheridge said:
Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.
No doubt, Etheridge penned her words in a rage and could probably be forgiven were she to reconsider and step back from her threat. After all, governments are capable of letting almost anything slide except challenges to their flow of revenue. Nothing gets officials to reach for the battering rams and handcuffs with greater enthusiasm than a tax case.
But what if ...
What if Melissa Etheridge were to join with other high-profile gays, lesbians and their friends and supporters to turn a quixotic bird-flip to the social conservatives who passed Proposition 8 into an organized movement? A tax revolt by one celebrity is a one-way ticket to Wesley Snipes country. But a mass tax revolt by gays and lesbians across the state could turn into a serious problem for California and a useful lesson to the majority about the consequences of restricting the rights of a minority.
There's a lot of anger out there, just waiting to be harnessed. Melissa Etheridge could be in a powerful position to remind Californians that a majority vote to abuse people may be an invitation to a world of grief.Labels: hitched, render unto Caesar, sock it to the state
posted by J.D. Tuccille at
8:41 PM
5 Comments:
While I disagree with the vote, I think the most successful way to beat the discriminatory nature of the multi-state marriage amendments is to challenge them in Federal court.
I believe them to be a violation of the 14th Amendment, as well as the full faith and credit clause.
Florida's is even more agregious, as it outlaws social contracts, as well as marriage. The thing is, if this challenge is successful, polygamy would be recognized as well, IMO.
Full disclosure: I am not a polygamist, nor am I a homosexual. I just believe that right is right, and these laws are just as discriminatory now as they were when they were being used to stop interracial marriage.
While I understand and sympathize with her frustration I seriously doubt a general tax revolt would get anything accomplished for a couple of reasons:
A) Like you already mentioned, this is a fast way to get Wesley Sniped. I also question just how many of those other superstars are actually paying taxes in California to begin with.
B) The .gov will come down on her like a ton of bricks. If they hammer a well known celebrity who HAS the monetary ability to fight a case like this, and still lose, they know the message that sends to Joe and Jane Six-Pack. The same logic applied in the Wesley Snipes case.
C) I can't imagine that the population numbers of gay and lesbians in California would really be high enough to cause a serious monetary hiccup, especially since California is in such a bad financial mess to begin with.
Honestly, I can see this whole thing backfiring on her. I think divemedic had the best answer, take it to court.
M.S
More and more of us are WAKING UP, America. No taxation without equality; simple math.
Now the feds will need to repeal DOMA and DADT, grant us FULL equal rights (including marriage), and begin to start viewing our families - OUR FAMILIES - as the tax-paying contributing members of society we are.....well.....we USED to be!
Because if our HOMES, our FAMILIES, our very BELOVED are not acknowledged and valued as other families are legally, whatever we do outside of that home will never be acknowledged and valued legally, such as adopting children, working without discrimination, or serving openly in the military.
FAMILY FIRST. What is more important than FAMILY?
We owe the IRS absolutely NOTHING until equal. NOTHING. Get it?
This is NOT a test.
This is NOT a debate.
This is NOT a vote.
This is definitely NOT a popularity contest.
This IS justice - GAY TAX PROTEST.
The time for a Gay tax revolt is now. The time to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation is NOW. Until that happens, GLBT individuals are bona fide 2nd-class citizens, and can be denied their BASIC CIVIL RIGHTS (housing, employment, and public accommodation) with no recourse at the federal level. Why pay a 1st class tab for 2nd class passage?????????
YES !
Amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include ALL Love-Orientations.
FED UP with having to be "liked enough" for equal rights?
Believe EQUALITY is ours to TAKE and refuse to beg for it?
For All Americans who support our demand for equality:
EQUALITY TAX REVOLT -
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
("protest" is too timid - I'm not just "protesting" this unfair treatment, I'm revolting against it)
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