Alrighty, like the title says, I have something to say that most conservatives won't agree with.
Here goes.
Here in California there is Prop 8 out to set marriage as between a man and woman. I'm not going to do a blog about moral issues or any of that. No, I have a much simpler reason for not supporting Prop 8 and it is because of civil rights.
The proponents of Prop 8, and of the defense of marriage issues in general, say that not allowing same sex marriage is not a civil rights issue, but I disagree. It is paramount to not allowing a black man and a white woman to marry. I use to support the idea that gay marriage was not an appropriate thing for our nation to allow; then I became heavily involved with a forum website that takes on these kinds of issues (politics, religion, 9-11, etc). I started the thread against gay marriage and I will admit that it changed my mind. And here's why.
In our society, marriage is the legal way for a couple to announce their intentions to petition the government for certain legal rights. To disallow certain legal age citizens to petition for these right based on something like gender is a civil rights issue. From a legal standing, not allowing two people to petition for legal status, and yet allows others the same right, is not freedom. I have many issues with the serious lack of freedom in this country (income tax, ever heard of it?), and I take serious issue with the idea that "freedom" should be the reasoning for allowing all manner of things to take place; however, in this situation it is a serious infringement upon my freedoms to not be able to gain legal rights because of something as minor as gender.
Yes, I said minor. I understand where the defense of marriage folks are coming from. They look around and see drive through divorce shops, families shattered, morals declining, and a general muckery of the institution of marriage and family. Totally with ya. But this isn't the way to go about saving the family. It just isn't, and it doesn't give you the right to say that person A and B are fit for marriage and person C and D are unfit. I've met persons A and B, and trust me that they shouldn't be married. C and D? Great together. Totally. Does it matter their gender? Really? Why? Cause they will teach gay marriage in school? Sorry, doesn't fly with me.
As schools are already teaching abhorrent sexual issues (right to choose, my ass), and sex ed is being taught as early as 2nd grade, I don't think that gay marriage is our biggest concern with the educational system. That modern teachers have almost unlimited rights to teach any (left-leaning) propaganda that they choose (remember, I'm in Cali, and educated here), and that parents have little to no say in a child's education is a much, much scarier issue for me. As long as they aren't teaching what happens on the honeymoon, why is talking about gay marriage so terrifying?
So, no, I don't support ending my right to marry whomever I wish. Because, even though I'm happily married to an opposite sex partner, I'm American enough to be pissy that someone thinks they have the right to tell me whom I can marry and who I can't.
*Edit to add: I understand that many Christian see this as a moral issue, but I strongly feel that if that is what you believe, then you should preach it not legislate it. What I'm talking about here is the legal standing of two people. Legal. Not moral.
2 comments:
amen. and amen.
these people want to get MARRIED. whoever they are, is that not a step in the right direction?
people opposed to allowing gay marriage will be as embarrassed in 20 years as they are (hopefully) now that they opposed interracial marriage, and civil rights.
I look at the gay marriage thing in simple economic terms. Gay people pay into the insurance pools like anyone else, why shouldn't their families be covered by insurance?
Also, I think part of the reason gays have a reputation for sexual promiscuity- multiple partners- is that society simply hasn't given them a mechanism for monogamy. Historically they've not been allowed to settle down.
As far as gay marriage being an assault or mockery of the institution, the loose morals of heterosexuals in the last generation or so is the reason for the increase in marriage failure, not what's happening outside the marriage. Take it seriously and it will last. You take vows at marriage; OBEY the sacred promise you make to God and you will have a happy life. If you don't keep up your end of the bargain, don't blame the failure of a marriage on outside factors.
For the record, I'm in my 25th year of a heterosexual marriage and have raised two sons.
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