No, You Cannot | Teen Ink

No, You Cannot MAG

November 6, 2008
By Anonymous

It is a new nation,
a nation that proudly proclaims:
“Yes we can.”
But what power holds “yes we can,”
when America has told many of our
brothers and sisters
“no, you cannot”?
You cannot follow your heart.
You cannot move forward.
You cannot take a hand.
You cannot break the mold.
“Marriage is a holy bond
for a man and a woman
it is not yours to taint,” they say.
Where is the future?
Relentlessly we must
keep striving for a better day.
We must stop this hatred
and bring about change in the
wake of defeat.


The author's comments:
This piece was written after Prop 8 was passed in California, a national tragedy at the state level.

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This article has 396 comments.


millz SILVER said...
on Feb. 12 2010 at 11:52 am
millz SILVER, Memphis, Tennessee
8 articles 0 photos 19 comments
I happen to be a christian who believes that marriage should only be between a man and a woman HOWEVER I respect the views of others even though they are most definately WRONG.

laliel said...
on Jan. 21 2010 at 11:55 pm
my religious beleif says that marriage between a man and a women is unholy,

but to me personaly, i don't judge, i think thats God's job

its a really good poem

on Jan. 21 2010 at 9:26 pm
rainyday93 GOLD, Bedford, New York
11 articles 0 photos 8 comments
Firstly, I love the poem.

Second, I completely agree and I do not understand why people should not be allowed to celebrate their commitment and love for eachother.

Third, I love that the poem spiked such a debate. That is one of the reasons I love to write: to provoke thought. I think you did a great job!

on Jan. 21 2010 at 9:14 pm
classiccrime1 BRONZE, Greenbelt, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
\"I love mankind, its people I can\'t stand!\" Lionel (Charlie Brown)

I don't want to argue this but to preach what the bible says and then only preach one side of it is a tad hypocritical don't you think. I'm not overly religous, but me and the bible know each other well. For you to say that I can't preach something that is mentioned in the bible, but then turn around and say I'm just preaching what the bible says, then who are you to judge. As someone who is religious you should know this, in the end only God will judge us not man. You can "preach" all you want, but take note that you are too a sinner, and just like the people preach at and judge in the end, as said, you will be in the same line as them, that day that you will judge.

EnzoFan BRONZE said...
on Jan. 21 2010 at 7:58 pm
EnzoFan BRONZE, Westerville, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Whether it be through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.&quot;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> -Enzo, The art of Racing in the Rain

This was great, it really defines the way America works today. Good job.

BloodTsuki said...
on Jan. 21 2010 at 2:57 pm
I believe that the church should allow same sex marriage but I also understand it would go against their beliefs and I don't think it's fair to break someone's belief to be united in the eyes of god. Because god is supposedly all around us so even if it is only a legal union then you are still under the eyes of god and you are still together. As well as, I believe marriage is not necessary because if you love someone why do you need a piece of paper to say that for you?

on Jan. 21 2010 at 8:23 am
Breakdancegrl SILVER, San Antonio, Texas
9 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Anything below perfection is complete and utter failure&quot; Hugh Himwich<br /> &quot;What the hell is a Hufflepuff?&quot; Dumbledore: A Very Potter Musical

Good article though

on Jan. 21 2010 at 8:22 am
Breakdancegrl SILVER, San Antonio, Texas
9 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Anything below perfection is complete and utter failure&quot; Hugh Himwich<br /> &quot;What the hell is a Hufflepuff?&quot; Dumbledore: A Very Potter Musical

I am very religious, and usually don't take a side on this subject, as i do believe in freedom, but don't pull the don't judge your brother card. We only preach what the bible says.

on Dec. 31 2009 at 12:41 am
Andersen BRONZE, Patterson, California
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Even if you are on the right track, you&#039;ll get run over if you just sit there.&quot; -Will Rogers

sorry I meant if Prop 8 had not passed

on Dec. 31 2009 at 12:35 am
Andersen BRONZE, Patterson, California
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Even if you are on the right track, you&#039;ll get run over if you just sit there.&quot; -Will Rogers

Well I don't think that we should take that right away from non-Catholics, but the way I understand it is that if Prop 8 had passed, then the Catholic Church, for example, would have had to have performed marriages for two people of the same- sex . This is against their beliefs though, so I don't think it is right to make them go against their will either and destroy a part of their religion. I do think that people should be able to be united, though, if they want to no matter what their sex ; I mean, who are we to decide, right? I just don't think we should have to perform that union in the Catholic Church if it violates our beliefs.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 11:18 pm
classiccrime1 BRONZE, Greenbelt, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
\&quot;I love mankind, its people I can\&#039;t stand!\&quot; Lionel (Charlie Brown)

Hello,
First off I'd like to say is that you are very courageous to write such a controversial piece. In my honest political and religous belief, I say what the heck. Because politically in this coutry to make a law shutting down one person's belief system or way of lifld go would go against the whole point of a 'free nation' if you will. Secondlyreligously, I feel that the such things as the bible while it does talk about being gay being bad, the bible also says don't judge thy brother. So I feel that those who are so opposed to gay marriage and hide behind religion because of it, by the standards of God, its not for us to decide whether it is spiritally wrong. Now politically we can decide, and it would be unfair if we didn't let thoughs with a different opinion have the same rights. Infact this country was based on just that.
Finally, writing is an outlet to express feelings and opinions. So I say; write on!
Kiara

on Dec. 30 2009 at 7:44 pm
MollyLager GOLD, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
13 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
\&quot;The real trouble with reality is that there\&#039;s no background music.\&quot;

I completely agree. Just as segregation was deemed immoral and persecution for religon by law was terminated in the U.S.A, I full heartedly believe that one day love will be recognized as the universal and unbiased entity it is.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 1:05 pm
Ashley Baxter BRONZE, Huntsville, Texas
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
Okay, I'm stating my opinion. Love is never gross. Love doesn't really see sex nor color. Love is love. And you should keep religion out of it. If you are a Christian you need tolerance. People need to stop discriminating, and open up their closed minds. I don't believe it's fair for straight to love and get married, and gay people to be prevented from that. It's not fair. At all. I think that if people have a problem with it, they really shouldn't be in their business anyway. We came to America and had freedom of religion. Though I am a Christian, I have feelings. And I support love. God is love. Love is never bad. If you think what I think is wrong, well it's my opinion, and you can disagree with it if you please. Your thoughts will not change mine.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 12:55 pm
Ashley Baxter BRONZE, Huntsville, Texas
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
I agree with this poem completely. I've always tried to find the words to write something like this. Thanks for finding them for me. (:

on Dec. 30 2009 at 11:07 am
Dandelion PLATINUM, Franklin, Massachusetts
20 articles 8 photos 173 comments
It is perfectly fine for people of the Catholic Church to not want to get married to others of the same sex . What I don't understand is why some Catholic people wish to take this right away from non-Catholics.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 10:22 am
sleeplessdreamer PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
30 articles 0 photos 332 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I have always wanted to write in such a way that people say, &#039;I have always thought that but never found the words for it.&#039;&quot; -anonymous

I'm going to ignore the political side of the poem and just say that was a heck of a piece of writing.

on Dec. 10 2009 at 4:18 pm
TheUnknownIsBliss GOLD, East Patchogue, New York
12 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
I would like to stay out of the box we call &quot;normal&quot;.

Sorry. I guess I know what you guys mean. I wouldn't become homosexual if all the males/females in the world died. And what i meant was suppose the opposite of your gender died. Sorry for the misunderstanding. it will not happen again. Plus, it would be awesome if you read some of my work. Thanks!

on Dec. 9 2009 at 10:11 am
write4life GOLD, Macon, Georgia
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments
DeeperThanThePacific: If all the males/females in the world died, I would die too. I would rather die than become homosexual because I believe that it is wrong. Besides, if all the males/females in the world died, eventually the rest would die as well because there would be no means of reproduction.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 11:31 pm
ryangallagher BRONZE, Cincinnati, Ohio
4 articles 2 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.&quot; -- Albert Einstein

Guys and gals can love and support each other by all means, that's called friendship. But what's the point of two men "loving and holding" each other just because there aren't any girls around. That's just gross and unnecessary. There would be no point since they can't reproduce anyway.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 10:54 pm
Andersen BRONZE, Patterson, California
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Even if you are on the right track, you&#039;ll get run over if you just sit there.&quot; -Will Rogers

I think you are very good at writing poems, but I too disagree with your opinion. I believe that if two people want to be together, that is fine. However, what I disagree with is that they want to make marriage between people of the same sex legal. I believe it is okay if they want to have a legal union. However, I don't think it would be good if churches such as the Catholic Church, which do not believe in same- sex marriages, had to perform this sacred bond for people against their beliefs. It would destroy a sacred sacrament of the Catholic Church, and this I do not believe in. Legal unions - yes. Marriages - no.