I'm not sure if this has been written about yet, but it is so outrageous it deserves another few entries.
Trestin Meacham, a 35 year old man from Utah has commenced a hunger strike to protest the legalization of marriage equality in his state. Though, it's doubtful how seriously this should be taken, as it is coming from the guy who attacks the "theory" of Global Warming by saying:
"Fact polar bear populations are at the highest rerecord level. Please stop spewing mind numbing propaganda" (Meacham on his Google Plus).
More craziness to follow...
Trestin Meacham is not just content opposing marriage equality with words, but now he refuses to eat until the state of Utah magically makes gay marriage illegal again. He seems to join many other wrong past historical figures in believing that a state can just magically ignore a federal court decision.
"On Friday the 20th of December, a federal judge overturned the State Constitution of Utah and ruled against and its restriction against same sex marriage. In so doing, Article 1 Section 8 and the 10th Amendment of the U.S Constitution were violated. Even worse a law voted on by a strong majority of the people of Utah was rescinded, thus robbing the people of their voice in government. And if this law remains, the natural rights of free speech and religious freedom, vouched safe by the first Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, will be violated" (Meacham on his blog).
This is, in fact, the same argument used by Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus to ignore the Brown v. Board of Education decision that called for integration.
How did that work out?
However, Mr. Meacham is not to be deterred by legal evidence. He vows to drink only water and eat weekly vitamins until the state of Utah nullifies the federal court decision and reintroduces discrimination into their marriage laws.
Here is his blog, in case anyone is interested
Meacham ran for State Senate a few years back as a Constitutional Party candidate. These are the kind of crazies who are using the "Tea Party" and uber conservative voters to actually win elections. This is a clear warning sign to us all. We must mobilize for liberal and moderate candidates. We have to shut these people down.
Hunger strikes have been used honorably in the past. They can be an action of last resort when oppression is taking place, and there is no way out. However, Meacham is not being oppressed. Nobody is taking away his rights. He is striking to take rights away from other people. What Meacham is doing isn't honorable. It is honestly sort of disturbing. He is a threatening to die if he doesn't get his discriminatory wish, a sign that he will go to any lengths necessary to keep marriage unequal.
A video of Meacham produced by local news