Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Why Gay Marriage Should Be Legal

I will say it now and unequivocally: I am a strong proponent of gay marriage. There is no good reason for it not to be legal, and is not legal due to a media and political culture built on hating "them", and a mixture of political cowardice and realism from those who are more friendly to the GLBT community.

I just cannot see how anyone who truly believes in love or the value of marriage would deny it to others. Look at it through the eyes of a parent, how could you deny your son or daughter the ability to be happy, to be treated like the human and American citizen they are, with all rights and responsibilities that entitles them to? The thought that hate and ignorance would blind you to putting yourself in the shoes of those wishing to get married is beyond me.

I'm aware that you might stand pat on this issue because an ancient book has a few lines of scripture against homosexuality. I'm sure you keep sabbath, ritually butcher your meat, and feel slavery is OK, right? Believing in the legal right of homosexuals to enter into the mutual business partnership that is marriage is compatible with not sanctifying the marriage in your church. If two men wish to make their commitment legal, that has little to do with how God will deal with their lives. To me this smacks of determining the works of God, and thus is attempting to explain the unexplainable.

But won't this lead to ghost/horse marriage, or the legalization of polygamy? Of course not, don't be thick. Those of us on the left of this issue don't quibble over the number allowed in the partnership, just the gender of the parties. The idea that giving those nice next door neighbors who own the antique shop the right to marriage would lead to Mr. Ed and Rick Santorum getting hitched is just ridiculous.

Nevertheless, I understand the reality of the political situation that has kept Democrats from acting on this. The other side seems to be doing an excellent job of fomenting misinformation, and are passionate in their misguided beliefs. To reach too far on this issue risked a major backlash, and not just by Republicans. There has been more support of civil unions, mainly because it defuses the emotional power and resonance of "marriage". Still, its not the same thing, and amounts to "separate but equal".

Before Prop 8 passed in 2008, it appeared things were changing for the better. While things are getting better (DADT might finally die its well-deserved death), the fight is far from over. Those who are against the rights of our homosexual friends are powerful, passionate, and eager to fight that which frightens (and confuses) them. The best way for us to succeed is getting like minded individuals elected to our state and Federal legislatures.