I live in a state that has already banned gay marriage and it make me sick that we have become about taking away freedoms. There has been a lot of talk and discussion in this political climate about California’s Prop 8–an admendment to ban gay marriage.
I just don’t understand this need by the conservative religious base in this country to demean the gays. My brother is gay and he and his partner of 10 years haven’t really thought about marriage–at this point they feel as though they are married and at some point it’s just a piece of paper that our society gives us that allows us legal protection under the law.
I think marriage is great, but I also think that this idea that marriage is some sort of sacred act that is a union between a couple and God is a little dramatic. If you are a religious person reading this–let’s just agree to disagree. I am not religious by any means and I don’t think that marriage is necessarily a religious instititution. It is a social institution that allows us to lay claim to another individual and to make them part of us on paper. I think we all know that marriage in this country has long stopped being a religious institution–when the divorce rate is 50% at best and there are people who are married multiple times and for sometimes less time than it takes to drive cross country says that marriage doesn’t mean what it use to mean.
I think a big part of the problem is that the religious conservative base is scared that if the gays start getting married in droves, than they are no longer superior and they must recognize that we are all equal under the law of the land and that God truly does love everyone regardless of whom you choose to marry.
We must all admit–whether we are religious or not–that there is something so special about declaring your love for the man/woman you want to commit to spending the rest of your life with. I don’t feel as though my marriage to my husband is any less of a marriage because we had a civil ceremony as opposed to a church wedding. I love my husband and couldn’t be any more committed to him if we had been married by a steward of God. I also don’t feel as though my marriage means less as more and more people get divorced and its sanctity is certainly not dimished because a women marry women and men marry men.
So, if you live in California or one of the few other states that have measures on the ballot that will amend your state consitutition to deny the right of marriage to gays please consider voting against it. Really, who does it hurt?
Embracing Imperfection 
Well, I am religious but I have no problem with gays having the right to marry…those in a loving committed relationship should have all the legal rights that we straight married folks get. In my opinion, if a church doesn’t agree then fine, they shouldn’t allow a religious ceremony to take place, but if we truly believe in separation of church and state, then churches should not be concerned about someones civil right to marry whom they choose. On a recent Sunday, our priest talked a lot about this and how God’s purpose for marriage is for the creation of children and that allowing same sex marraige goes against that purpose and is detrimental to the human race’s survival…ahem, last time I checked we have an overpopulation problem and many children in need of homes and many starving, so I really don’t see that as being an issue. Of course, my opinion is not shared by many in my church, but I don’t agree with everything in my church anyway so I guess I’m just a little bit of a rebel that way. :o) Now you know how I’m voting in CA.
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You and I are thinking about some of the same things this week…only you said it nicer. (:
NO on 8!
Thank You!
Julies last blog post..Weight of the World.
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Agree 1000%. Equality for all — this is AMERICA, for heaven’s sake.
The entire California contingent of my family is voting NO on 8.
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I live in Canada and am so grateful as this is an issue that we dealt with a couple of years ago and of course gave the right to marry to gay and lesbians. That is the only right thing to do and it sucks that it’s even something that is debatable. Just out of curiosity, in the states that don’t allow for marriage rights, are the partners eligible for health and insurance benefits? Hoping that the outcome of the voting you have down there is good.
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So many of us reading your blog live in families that couldn’t possibly exist comfortably (in most parts of the US) 40 years ago. The world is so often filled with hate–why must so many people hate a love that looks different than theirs. Love seems to be the essential part of the equation–people who have love in their lives and love in their hearts should be happy for those who find love.
People! Be excellent to each other. Bill and Ted know all!
paiges last blog post..time, is marching on…and time, is still marching on
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I posted a blog entry about this a while ago. I live in California. I voted no the first time this was on the ballot, and I’ll vote no again. Churches can do what they want- if they want to prohibit gay marriage, then that’s their prerogative. But marriage as a secular institution is a contract between two people, recognized by the State. What that has to do with gender is completely beyond me. . .
I don’t understand the propoganda preaching that Yes on 8 = free speech (or free religion). No one is limiting the churches’ rights.
And if civil unions are really the same as marriage for gay people anyway (as proponents claim), then why not get rid of marriage as a state-sanctioned institution in its entirety? Let the churches have marriage and have non-church weddings all be civil unions. Seems to me like it’s a fight over a word– and if the “meaning” is the same, then why the battle? Because we all know that separate is not equal.
Karen in San Diego
http://bsinchina.blogspot.com
Karens last blog post..Mommy and Marcie
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You cannot know how encouraging it is to hear these kinds of comments. While I live in a very blue state, much of the area is rural and not terribly progressive. Gay men and lesbians here are at risk of discrimination and violence every day still, even with anti-discrimination laws in place. Our legislature approved a state version of DOMA years ago that is going to be hell to overturn. There is just too much ignorance and hate out there and it will be a long, very difficult battle. Thank you for your support. All of you.
Dawn on MDIs last blog post..one day at a time
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