Marriage Equality

THIS WAS ONE OF OUR BETTER POST'S BUT I FEEL IT WAS OVER LOOKED BACK WHEN REVEREND ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IT AND I FEEL IT DESERVES  BETTER AIR TIME. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I GIVE YOU "MARRIAGE EQUALITY" BY THE REVEREND......

 

I recently read a slightly optimistic bit of news. In a quick summary it says;
The firm hired to defend the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) has dropped out due to the political backlash they have received from the gay community and its hetero supporters.
Good. Unfortunately there is no shortage of law firms willing to defend that bit of legislation.

I'm not really here to talk about  the news story, it was simply a catalyst, but to express my opinions on gay marriage, marriage in general, and equality.

I have never heard a valid argument for the denial of marriage rights for homosexuals. Not once. Never. I hear religious arguments, but this isn't a theocracy. This is not a country where we look to an old bronze age text to make our laws. Well, it's not supposed to be. I have no patience for those arguments. Your deity is not special, your book is not magical, and no amount of faith should ever justify bigotry and oppression.

Then there is the sanctity of marriage arguments. 'If we let the gays marry it will ruin the sanctity of the whole thing!" What? How? They can never seem to give a satisfying answer to how. Marriage has ruined its own sanctity. Here are the divorce rates from Wikipedia;
More reliable statistics are available that measure the percentage of marriages that end in divorce within 10 years. One data set based on age of the bride indicates that the rate is 48% for people under 18, 40% for ages 18–19, 29% for 20-24, and 24% for 25 and older.
Those are some pretty high rates, and here in Utah many brides are around the 18-20 age. But hey, it's a super sacred institution still, right? Well, no. If it was so sacred, it would never have changed.


The last argument I usually hear is that marriage is defined as a man and a woman. Well definitions change, it's the beauty of language of changing times. Marriage has changed before. It will continue to change. If it remained in its 'perfect, sacred' definition, women would still be property, and divorce would be illegal. Only the craziest fundy wants that to be how the state regulates marriage. The arguments just don't add up and I think they really are just being half-hazardly thrown together to hide the simple fact. People who are against gay marriage are bigots. They won't admit it, but they are. They throw this smoke screen of faith, morality (like sexual orientation is a moral decision), and strict definitions to hide their bigotry, hate, and fear.


In Utah we have a church that spent $22 million to deny the rights of gays in California. Money that could have been used for any number of good deeds was used to get legislation passed that actively stripped people of their rights. They allow homosexuals in the church, if they take what amounts to a vow of celibacy. They truly believe homosexuality can be 'cured' through counseling, like it is a psychological disease. That is crazy to me. I had someone tell me that and I asked him, "So, can I send you to counseling and make you want to suck my cock?" He was flabbergasted that I would even suggest that, but that is essentially what they are claiming. We can change how you feel sexually with therapy! What horse shit. They do all of these horrible things, then have the gall to say that they are a loving faith, an inclusive faith, and just the sweetest people you can hope to meet.


Personally, I dislike all marriage. It seems antiquated, and I don't think it really is able to cater to all the different kind of relationships real people actually have. I am am advocate for love, whether that is expressed as a man and a woman, a gay couple, two men and a woman, etc. As long as all parties are consenting adults, and happy with the arrangement. If you want to get married, by all means go for it. If you want that as part of your loving relationship you should have every right to get it, but to deny that right to fellow citizens is appalling. I also believe the state needs to offer the same legal protection to all sorts of adult relationships. If 3 people want to be married to each other, let them. What does it hurt?


I can already hear the arguments to my opinion, so let me be clear on one thing,


Allowing this to happen does not endanger, cheapen, or lessen you marriage/relationship. If it does, then you were on shaky ground long before. No one is going to try to take your relationship away from you, or how special it makes you feel.


Watching these bigots make their hate speech to fellow citizens sickens me. It makes a pit in my stomach. They are people too. The gay people I know are caring, compassionate, wonderful people. They aren't these immoral monsters people paint them to be. We are all human, we all deserve the same rights, and sexuality doesn't change that.