Today is the national equal rights march in D.C. and National Coming Out Day.
I believe very strongly in civil marriage for all. I believe very strongly in equal protection for all citizens. You cannot be for justice for some, and not justice for all.
No religion can justify discrimination against your fellow neighbor – just as our government does not have the right to tell people how to worship, it does not have the right to create inferior citizens with less human rights than others.
When I have my wedding in May, the first thing I will be thinking about is Lucy, and the commitment and security and safety we will be providing to each other. I will think about the great honor and responsibility that comes with marrying my love.
The second thing will be how some of the most amazing, incredible people I have ever had the honor of being friends with are considered by our government and even some people I know as undeserving of this right.
Not only do I think those rights are necessary for all people, but those responsibilities, those social and economic family ties, are vital for our country to promote.
Abandoning gay people by saying they can have those rights if they simply abandon who they love is wrong. It is wrong from a humanitarian view, and I believe it is not christian, either.
I love my fiancee, but accepting rights that my cherished friends cannot is bittersweet.
I want that to change. I will, and do, vote for that change.
The Equality March on C-SPAN
President Obama addresses Human Right Campaign dinner
“There are still fellow citizens, perhaps neighbors, even loved ones, good and decent people who hold fast to outworn arguments, and old attitudes – who fail to see your families like their families – who would deny you the rights that most americans take for granted. And that’s painful, and it’s heartbreaking.
“… that’s the story of the struggle for fairness and equality, not just for those who are gay, but for all those in our history who have been denied the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.” – Obama
“Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.” – Coretta Scott King
It bothers me that the bigots who only believe the parts of religion which justify their ignorance have tried to hijack marriage…which is historically NOT a religious matter but a legal and social contract which religion contaminated.
Gender used to be MUCH more fluid too, even the “one man and one woman” nonsense that the brainwashed bigots use as their mantra doesn’t hold up against it. There was a time when, in various cultures if you disliked your biological sex, you could simply don the garments of the opposite and live in that manner – biologically you still had two men or two women but from a social perspective it was still a mixed pair – so, for thousands of years “gay marriage” has been an established FACT.
Cheers, mate.
I just want domestic partnerships to be recognized regardless of sex. Erich and I don’t plan on getting married, but we live together and I think its stupid we can’t get the benefits of shared health insurance or the tax breaks because we don’t choose to actually be married. Other states have common-law marriages, I’d even take that here in michigan. I don’t want to have to move to a different state for another 7 years just to be able to get the benefits here in Michigan.