Where I’ve Been & November 6th in Maine

Marriage Equality USA logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As I have received no mail, it seems apparent no one is concerned where I disappeared to–kidding, just kidding.  To give it to ya quick and dirty, since 11/2/2011 I have suffered a series of strokes and related head problems, which combined with my attempts to complete school and be an active part of my family’s life have left me with little time to blog.  They have no idea what is causing the strokes, aside from the general term of stress (which I have given up on my dreams of school to alleviate one form of stress), however after much testing and poking and prodding stress is all they can tell me.  I have no deficits from these episodes, aside from constant headaches and what I term “wooziness”, yes a nice scientific term there.
Moving on–November 6th in Maine.  Some will ask why I am not focusing on the entirety of Election Day, well honestly, I know who is going to win the Presidential Election and I have more interest in the issue of Same Sex Marriage in Maine which is being voted on today (an idea I  find stupid and ludicrous, but there you have it.)  It will be interesting to see the results of Question 1 as it has been a hot topic since the last time it came up for vote in 20009, except this time there seems to be more in favor of it.  Perhaps Mainers are in fact waking up to the fact of the 21st century, who woulda guessed it?

 

 

At any rate, let us all hope, in our own ways, the elections turn out for the betterment of not just the country, but ALL the people of this country.

My Birthday Wish

As anyone who reads my blog will know I am a big supporter of marriage equality. I normally do not do the “Cause Wishes” that get sent out around my birthday but with the ballot issue coming up in Maine this November and all the other states dealing with the issue I figured this would be a good time. So, the link below is to my wish, donate if you can, share either way. It would be nice to raise some money for this very important issue.

 

My Birthday Wish

Related articles

• Marriage Equality For Maine (inactiveactivist.wordpress.com)
• Battle Going On Over Wording Of Maine Marriage Equality Question (lezgetreal.com)
• Supporters of Maine Marriage Equality Seek Change in Ballot Measure Language: VIDEO (towleroad.com)
• Strong Support For Maine Marriage Referendum (lezgetreal.com)
• Maine Activists Debate Language Of Marriage Equality Ballot Question (thinkprogress.org)
• POLL: Majority In Washington Supports Marriage Equality Law (thinkprogress.org)
• Can ‘true Catholics’ support same-sex marriage? (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
• A Father’s Love for His Gay Son and for the Catholic Church (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
• POLL: Majority Of Maine Voters Support Marriage Equality Law (thinkprogress.org)

Some News Tid-Bits

A smoke-free country? New Zealand taxes aim for it – Yes we all know smoking is bad for everyone; however, adults do make informed choices and this is honestly just getting ridiculous.  Didn’t they learn anything from alcohol prohibition?

Whopping Cough PSA – I am not usually a big fan of inflammatory commercials; however, this one strikes a chord with me considering the new movement to not vaccinate children.  Not vaccinating your child is very irresponsible not only for them, but for everyone around them.  You never know what your child will pick up because you made a choice not to vaccinate, and as shown on an episode of Law & Order SVU concerning the measles vaccination, if my child is harmed due to your choice you can bet your ass I am suing you.

After-Birth Abortion – Pardon my language but, fuck you, it’s not a choice at this point.

‘Hunger Games’ on Banned Book list – Books should never been banned, it’s foolish.  Restricted for ages because of content, that is fine, but outright banning a book is just seeking to control a society.  And yes, that even applies to ‘Twilight’. 

Kansas Governor, Sam Brownback, Signs Anti-Sharia Bill, Effectively Banning Islamic Law – Sounds good to me!  No, seriously, this is America, you come here you fall under the jurisdiction of the American courts and their laws, it really is that simple.  If I go to your nation can I expect to be covered by only America’s laws?

Richard Leakey: Evolution Debate Soon Will Be History - For me the debate is already history; however, I do understand that some people find it easier to accept the *poof* everything is here theory over logic.

How a legal case could force 1.2 million in Quebec to marry  – this is an important one to read and keep an eye on because it calls into the limelight the responsibility of anyone in a relationship.  What is it about one piece of paper that says “Ok know you owe him/her money for life?”  I remember way back when Sandra Locke successfully sued Clint Eastwood for palimony, money from being in a non-married relationship.  This definitely raises a lot of questions and while it is happening in Canada, it is not that far of a stretch to imagine similar things occurring here in America.

’6,000 RIM jobs at risk’ of a pink slip – My inner 13 year old is giggling uncontrollably at this one.  I am not including this one for the article, merely for the fact the title never should have made it past the editor.

Miami Police Shoot, Kill Man Eating Another Man’s Face – I am curious why they could not taze him in this situation.  At any rate, it is rather disturbing and I foresee a lot of jokes and memes coming about from this.

 

Marriage Equality For Maine

Marriage Equality USA logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

November is fast approaching us and with it comes the ballot issue again about Marriage Equality, or if you prefer, same-sex marriage.  While I can understand some people in this state are tired of hearing about the issue, this fact does not change the fact that it is an important issue.  Just as important as their casino initiative they kept pushing for until they go it approved.

There really does not need to be a law saying people of the same gender can marry one another, however, since it seems in this country the majority are allowed to dictate how the minority will live, it becomes important to get this law passed not only in Maine, but across the entire nation–which will call for the Federal government to step up and make it happen, how soon will that occur though, that is what everyone is wondering.

One of the local news stations posted a question on their Facebook page asking how everyone thought Obama’s declaration on same-sex marriage would affect the issue in Maine, well along with some reasonable answers (meaning they actually answered the question) the hate and bigotry came out, like it always does.  My favorite has always been “How many times do we have to say no to this?”  Of course I cannot help but be the asshole and remind the person that the people said no many times to casinos but that did not stop the question from getting asked.

Personally, I think the legislature did the right thing back in 2009 by putting the law into place themselves, this is not an issue for the people to vote on.  I mean seriously, how do it matter to you if two men or two women get married?  What difference does it make?  By that logic I should be able to argue any law on the books because I do not agree with it and if I get enough signatures send it to a vote for the people to decide…  umm, no.  This is why we have an elected body, they not only do what they think is right for the state overall, but for the betterment of individual people or groups of people.  Having the entire population of a state vote on an issue that affects a small minority reeks of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”.

Are there other issues this state needs to be putting more effort into?  Absolutely, however this one cannot be ignored or swept under the rug.  It is not going to go away.  I completely understand that people do not agree with comparing it to Women’s Rights and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960′s, however, you cannot deny the similarities that are inherent in all these issues.  All three issues were argued against from a religious stand point–that’s right, read your history, women and blacks were denied their rights because for these “The voice in the sky told me” people, they were unworthy of the same rights and liberties as good WHITE MALE god loving people.

Same-sex marriage is not going to lead to the erosion of marriage (heteros are taking care of that well enough), no natural disasters are going to come about, it won’t lead to legalization of bestiality or pedophilia (anyone that believes that or uses it as an arguing point is a complete and total fucktard).  Why are you all so eager to deny this basic right to others?  You won’t even grant them civil unions with the same protections as a marriage, have you learned nothing from history??

Aside from the aspect of love, couples deserve to be protected in all aspects: insurance, benefits, etc. etc.  Everything you get from being married same-sex couples should be entitled to as well.  Religion has no place in this issue, religion is the crutch you use when all other arguments fail.  When everything else is disputed and proven wrong you fall back on the “man in the sky”.

You bigots sicken me.  One day, and it will come soon, something you cherish and hold dear will be at risk of being taken from you because enough people find it objectionable and I guarantee you I will be standing there fighting for your right to keep it, despite how much I hate you.  Why?  Because no one has the power to take away our rights, the majority can not, and will not, dictate to the minority when it comes to issues of equality.

In closing I leave you with the following, if it touches and affects just one person I will be satisfied:

    First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

-Martin Niemöller

Related articles

• Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes and His Partner Sean Eldridge Give $100K to Maine’s Marriage Equality Campaign (towleroad.com)
• President Obama’s on Marriage Equality (thefirstwire.wordpress.com)
• Will Marriage Equality Affect 2016 Presidential Race (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Harry Reid Support Marriage Equality and a Vote on DOMA Repeal (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Illinois Governor Comes Out For Marriage Equality (thinkprogress.org)
• Gay relationships “morally acceptable” – poll (seattlepi.com)
• POLL: 51 Percent Agree With Obama On Marriage Equality (thinkprogress.org)

Obama Gives His Support For Marriage Equality

I must say I am not surprised by this announcement at all, however, it is still reassuring to have it vocalized.  Now that we have recognition from the Executive board we are that much closer to insuring a law nationwide permitting same-sex marriage.  It still pisses me off that we need to have a law in place, however, as history, and argumentative children show us, if it is not laid out in exacting detail then it does not apply.

We still have a long hard road ahead of us, however, the mindset of the nation is changing and this will become a litmus-test issue in future elections, at all levels of the government.  While I am not a believer in single issue voting, the fact is it happens and politicians need to realize this.  Politicians are not in office to enforce their beliefs on everyone else, they are in office to serve the people that elected them and to serve their interests.

I am glad that Obama has finally jumped off the fence and taken the right stance on this issue.  We are not a Christian nation therefore it does not matter one bit what the Bible has to say about homosexuality.  As for people’s personal beliefs…  if homosexuality bothers you, then don’t be homosexual.  It is not for you to dictate how other people live.  Remember Hitler, he tried that shit–blonde hair, blue eyed, the perfect Aryan, everyone else was only worthy of death.  How would y’all feel if people started national movements to outlaw oral sex or positions other than missionary?  What if they outlawed sex overall with the exception of means of procreation?  I bet you would rise up then.  It is complete bullshit that the majority are being allowed to dictate how the minority live their lives, I thought we stopped that shit with the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

People are just so sad somethings, they really are.  They get so focused on managing everyone’s lives that they lose focus of what it is they are trying to accomplish.  The only life you need to work on is your own, allow everyone the chance to live their life as they see fit, it really is as simple as that.  Just remember, there are things you do that others might find offensive and if we allow this bullying to go on long enough your activities will be outlawed as well.

The most important lesson Jesus Christ had to teach was:

In this life we have three great lasting qualities—faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Related articles

• Ed Rendell: Obama Should ‘Man Up’ And Embrace Same-Sex Marriage (thinkprogress.org)
• Guardian journalist predicts 2012 will be last year both parties oppose same sex marriage (rawstory.com)
• Half of Americans Support Legalizing Gay Marriage (newsy.com)
• Shame On You North Carolina (tinfoilhatman45.wordpress.com)
• Breaking: President Obama Supports Gay Marriage, Cites Christ And The Golden Rule (thenewcivilrightsmovement.com)
• ERROR OF MAN: Choose ye this day (exministries.wordpress.com)
• The end of Obama’s “evolution”? (salon.com)
• Biden joined on gay marriage by Sec. of Education (seattlepi.com)
• POLL: Marriage Equality Support Strong Among Democrats And Independents (thinkprogress.org)

“8″ – The Play About The Prop. 8 Trial

I am not a critic by any means, nor am I going to attempt to be one here.  However, last night I got a very nice treat.  As I was playing around with my Twitter account and following some new people one of the ones I added was AFER, The American Foundation for Equal Rights.  As I was reading their tweets, and other related LGBTQ tweets, I saw mention of the “8″ play.  I decided to chance it and hope that my DSL would handle the streaming content, much to my enjoyment it did.  For anyone that did not happen to watch it last night I would recommend doing so, it is well worth it.

As a viewer I was very pleased to see so many of my favorite actors taking part in this amazing project.  Marriage equality is a very important issue for me and to know that the actors that I have held in high esteem since I was a child acknowledge this importance as well was rewarding to me.  This play is of course a condensed version of the trial, however, every line spoken in it is from the actual transcripts of the trial, and believe me at some points that is very hard to believe.

As I said, I am no critic, but I did enjoy the show.  As I was aware of most of the testimony already I was able to focus on the actors themselves and observe them.  In my estimation they did an amazing job of portraying the real life people involved in this case.  Many times we see actors portraying real life people in movies, but there is always some fictionalization to that process, this was real and raw and so very believable.  Whoever did the casting for this play did an excellent job of matching the personalities of these actors to the people they were portraying.

In closing I want to send personal thanks to the cast of this play, thank you:  Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Martin Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Matt Bomer, Campbell Brown, Chris Colfer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Vanessa Garcia, Cleve Jones, Christine Lahti, Jane Lynch, Matthew Morrison, Rory O’Malley, Jansen Panettiere, James Pickens Jr., John C. Reilly, Yeardley Smith, George Takei, Bridger Zadina and director Rob Reiner;  you all truly did an amazing job.

Related articles

• Brad Pitt joins all-star cast for read-through of Prop 8 play; Watch the reading streamed live for free! (queerlandia.com)
• AFER’s Chad Griffin and Matt Baume Explain the Prop 8 Rehearing Request-Video (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Kevin Bacon in Prop 8 play: Watch it here! – VIDEO (popwatch.ew.com)
• YouTube Streams First Play, About Prop. 8, Starring Clooney, Pitt (mashable.com)
• Brad Pitt to Play Judge Vaughn Walker in Prop 8 Play Reading (inquisitr.com)
• Celebrity Friends: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Kevin Bacon in gay play (examiner.com)
• Brad Pitt joins star-studded Prop 8 play (cnn.com)
• Get Ready: Ninth Circuit Court To Announce Verdict In Prop 8 Trial Today! (queerty.com)
• Star-Studded Stage Production of the Day (thedailywh.at)

Allow And Then Take Away – The Fears Of The Majority

Image via Wikipedia

 

Any who know me also know that I am very vocal when it comes to the issue of marriage equality; for me it is not just about equal rights it is the acceptance of everyone’s differences.  There are already the arguments out there that the modern fight for same-sex marriage should not be compared to the Black civil rights fight or woman’s suffrage, however, on a certain level it is all the same fight; that is the fight against the majority imposing their will on the minority of people.  “Majority rule” is a fine concept when it comes to elections, however when it comes to people’s rights there should never be a vote in the first place.  Despite what Chris Christie believes, if the issue of Black civil rights had been put up to a common vote we would still be living with segregation.

 

With the current events in California (Prop. 8) and with some New Hampshire people trying to overturn the law allowing gays to marry, I felt it was time to get some thought circulating around.  There are many stances on this issue, religion being the most popular (which I am not even going to touch this time), however the one I want to discuss is perceived notion of “saving marriage”.  What a bogus argument this is, really is this the best that the anti-equality people can come up with?  With the rise in heterosexual divorce rates, the rise of premarital sex as well as children born out of wed lock, don’t you think they really have more to be concerned with in saving marriage than two people who absolutely love one another tying the knot?

 

If these hypocrites really wanted to “save marriage” they would start promoting laws that prohibit divorce and premarital sex.  Oh wait, I hear the Tea Baggers screaming now; “I have the right to sex!”  Who says you do?  The Catholic Church says it is a sin to have sex outside of wed lock as well to have sex if you do not intend to produce a child from the act…  sorry Tea Baggers, but no matter how hard you try you cannot butter both sides of the bread without making a mess.

 

I honestly want to know, how is it going to affect you or your family if same-sex marriage is made legal?  It’s not is it…  well except for the fact that some of your family members may finally feel brave enough to come out of the closet.  Worried about same-sex marriage being discussed in school?  HA! Sorry folks it already is and has been for decades; personally I would prefer it to be included in the curriculum than have my children hear about it in derogatory terms or poor jokes.  And no, I do not mean a class dedicated to it, but have mixed race families, same sex spouses and what not in the text books is not going to drastically change education.  Our children are already being educated on same-sex marriage and I can guarantee you the information they are getting is not factual or proper by any means.  It is time to come out of the dark ages already.  Genetic or choice, nature or nurture…  it really doesn’t matter anymore, there are LGBTQ people in this world and that population is only going to grow not go away.

 

The majority should never be allowed to vote on the rights of the minority, it makes no sense.  By allowing this voting to continue we are acknowledging the fear and hatred that is inherent in our society.  It is time for everyone to be equal regardless of any qualifiers.  We are all human beings, separate in genetic identity by a very small percentage.  Do you really want to be on the side of history that is viewed 500 years from now as being the scared close-minded witch hunters?

 

 

 

Related articles

 

• Black pastors take heat for not viewing same-sex marriage as civil rights matter By Marc Fisher (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
• Christie Vetoes Same Sex Marriage Bill In New Jersey (lezgetreal.com)
• NJ Lawmakers Rip Chris Christie for Suggesting Civil Rights of Gay People Should Be Put to a Vote: VIDEO (towleroad.com)
• Archbishop Supports Marriage Discrimination (therightisalwayswrong.wordpress.com)
• Chris Christie Doubles Down Same-Sex Marriage Referendum: ‘This Is The Bargain Of Your Life!’ (thinkprogress.org)
• NYT Lauds Chris Christie’s ‘Considerable Political Skills’ In Calling For Marriage Equality To Be Put To A Vote (thinkprogress.org)
• Chris Christie: Civil rights movement could have been resolved via referendum (thegrio.com)
• MAPS: The Consequences Of Voting On Civil Rights (thinkprogress.org)
• Archbishop of Canterbury says law has no right to legalise same-sex marriage (telegraph.co.uk)
• Poll Shows 6 In 10 California Voters Support Same-Sex Marriage (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com)
• George Clooney ‘Doesn’t Give A Sh*t’ If People Think He’s Gay (huffingtonpost.com)

 

Equality — What Does It Mean?

Strangely enough, people have many different meanings and ideas of what equality entails.  Now, I am not talking about “marriage equality”, at least not this time, I am talking about equality in general and how we, as a species, have a long way to go towards realizing this very simple concept.

I truly do believe in the concept that all people are created equally.  No, I will not refer to the quote from the Constitution as that would invalidate the point I am trying to get across here.  But, yes, I do believe that all people are created equal without limitation, clarification or elimination.  However, we are not there yet, not by a long shot and I am not merely referring to LGBT rights or minority rights, I am talking about everything in general.  Sadly, this post will generate some hate towards me, but all I ask of my readers is to take a moment and contemplate what I am saying and determine for yourself whether or not it all makes sense.

It is a sad state of affairs that we need to enact laws in order to ensure equality across the board, that is something I have always felt.  It speaks volumes for us as a species that we need words on paper telling us how to treat one another.  How can we honestly expect to handle any extraterrestrial event when we are not unified on our own world?

By now a lot of you are wondering what I am talking about, I mean after all we have established laws to ensure equality for women, minorities, LGBT, etc.  While this is true, we still live under inequality.  What am I talking about?  Well, let me just highlight some topics of interest here.

• Different standards for men and women in the armed forces.  Now, the job description is for a soldier gender should not matter into it.  If the job description says you must be able to do ABC then whoever applies for and trains for the job should be able to do it without modification based on gender.  This also applies to law enforcement and firefighters as well.
• Why is it all right for a woman to be the stay at home parent but when a couple decides for the father to be the stay at home he becomes a lazy bum?  This is a serious double standard, the father can do just as good of a job with the children and the housework as the mother can.
• Why is it that men as elementary school teachers are frowned upon and it is considered creepy?  It was not that long ago in our nations history when it was considered perverse for women to be teachers.  I understand with the recent events in an LA school it is a concern, however women can be child molesters as well; Hello Pamela Smart!  With the proper background checks this is a non-issue.
• Hate to break it to you, but yes, men can be raped too and not just by other men.  An erect penis does not imply consent any more than a woman having an orgasm during a rape.  Now this also applies to domestic abuse, there are men out there that are the victims of their wives.  The reason we do not hear about it more is our society scoffs at the idea of a man being the victim of a woman so men never report it for fear of humiliation.
• Why is it that men are not allowed to have a say when it comes to abortion?  And please, spare me the “you don’t have a uterus” mantra, it does not fly with me.  It takes a male and a female to make a child, it should be both making the decisions.  Lord knows when it comes to child support whether or not the man wanted the child he has to pay.  Seriously, I am not trying to demean women here, but this should be a mutual decision, not something left up to just one person.  Imagine for a moment ladies if your man decided to have a vasectomy without discussing it with you…

Now, I am not all about the down-trodden male here, there is still plenty of inequality towards women as well and I think that needs to change as well.

• Why can’t women serve in front line combat positions?  There are other countries in this world that allow their women to fight in the military and it only makes sense as it is their nation too that they are defending.
• A clear look at the elected positions in this country shows that the voting people are still not open to the idea of women and minority representatives.  This is a sad state of affairs and needs to be rectified.  Now I am not saying elect them just for the sake of it, I was never a fan of affirmative action, but if they are just as qualified they should get the votes too.
• As with elected positions, the same applies to higher up positions in corporations, police departments, law firms, et al.
• Sports – now there is a big one.  Women’s sports should not be set aside as some side event.  Do I think women should get the chance to play on the same teams as men?  If they can compete, absolutely!  But, I do think the professional leagues need to do more to promote women’s sports than they currently do.

And now my final topic on the issue of equality for all and this one may catch some of you by surprise.  The worst example in the world on creating and allowing inequality comes to us from religion.  Religion, or the church, if you will attempts to keep its followers on a lower level than the “elect”, the enlightened ones.  Women do not get a fair representation in the church, in fact they are told their role is to keep quiet and obey their men.  The church imposes rules on all its follower, demanding they follow the rules of their god, while at the same time not living within those same rules.  Quite frankly religion is a blight on our society as a whole that needs to be removed quickly.  Set aside wars, nuclear, biological or chemical weapons and disease, religion if allowed to continue unchecked as it has been will be what kills off our species.  If the church had its way we would still be living in the Dark Ages, ignoring science and technology, forgoing most medications and vaccines, and living constantly under the rule of the church and the fear of their god.

I am thankful each day that these bold, brave people came forward and brought all these things to us.  As a whole we are healthier, more aware of our world and our universe .  We are able to think independently and freely and live without fear.  At a certain time the church may very well have been needed to maintain order and protect people from the mysteries of the world but that is not true any longer.  The world we currently live in is far from perfect, however that is not likely to change until we can all come together as one with respect and fairness for all.  These are changes that cannot happen over night nor do I expect them to happen in my own lifetime.  Greed and malice are to much a part of our makeup at the current time.  Sadly, I think it will take either the threat of, or the act of, some global event to push us in the direction of unity and I truly do hope for our species that it will not be to late.

Related articles

• The bishops love the idea of equality – but not for women | Catherine Bennett (guardian.co.uk)
• {Debate} Men, Women, Equality (sherara.com)
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• Republican Representative Fights FOR Equality! (soyezvousmeme.wordpress.com)
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It Does Not Offend Your Morality, It Offends Your Perception Of Reality.

So, yes, it is time for me to speak on this issue once again, especially now that EqualityMaine has collected enough signatures to get marriage equality on the ballot again this coming November.  This initiative is especially important this time around because if it passes Maine will become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote.  Why is that important, you ask?  Simply put it means that the people are saying “Yes, it is time for everyone to have the same rights.”  While it is almost guaranteed that eventually the federal government will legalize same-sex marriage, this is an important step towards that goal as it shows people are awakening to the issue and realizing the injustice that the current standard allows.

I’ve posted on this issue before, back in 2009 when Question 1 was a hot topic, and I will continue to for some time.  This is an important issue that cannot be allowed to fade into obscurity and you can be sure it will not.  While some state that it is unfair to compare marriage equality to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, one cannot deny the similarities that exist between the two issues.

While homosexuals do not face the degree of discrimination that the Blacks pre-Civil Rights Movement did, thanks in part to current laws, they are still discriminated against on a daily basis especially when it comes to the right to marry the person that they love.  Bullying exists in all age ranges it is just different terms that are used depending on the age ranges being discussed.  Not allowing same-sex marriage is no different from teenagers bullying a gay teen on Facebook.  Although I do not believe in the strict Christian doctrine, I have my own thoughts on religion, it seems to me that if there is a higher being, a supreme deity in charge of it all, then everyone of us was put into the world for some reason.  Despite what people say to the contrary, the Bible does NOT mention homosexuality, at least not in the modern definition of it.  Surprised aren’t you?  If you want to read a great argument on that check out the Soulforce article below.

Why are people against same-sex marriage?  That is a fair question and it really boils down to three issues: Religion, Procreation and Nature.  Well, I am going to set about debunking all three of those topics and if anyone comes up with something new in the comments I will debunk it as well.  I am an intelligent person and I pride myself on being aware of issues and the arguments used within them.  I conduct a lot of research before I form my own opinions and suggest everyone should do the same.  Critical thinking is something that everyone should do, sadly they do not and instead choose to follow party lines, peer opinions or family traditions.

Religion:

Before I begin, let me throw out a disclaimer.  Everyone is entitled to their own belief system and I will not begrudge them that.  However, when you start trying to force your beliefs on society as a whole, then I have a problem and will step in to remedy the situation.  That being said, religion is the least reliable source to refer to in any argument.  Why, you ask?  Well that depends, whose religion are we referring to?  Who has the say on which belief is right and which is wrong?  There is no proof to show that any one religion has it right over any other.  Just because you have a billion followers does not make you “right” it just makes you persuasive.  The messages from these religions were recorded in the distant past and it is very difficult to apply the language from then to now, especially when it is translated, sometimes multiple times.  And honestly, let’s face it, the closest thing any of us have come to a burning bush in recent times is our television sets.

Procreation:

While it is true that a same sex couple cannot have children by themselves, there are plenty of heterosexual marriages out there that do not result in children.  If we are to base marriage off the concept of being able to procreate then how are we to treat elderly marriages and marriages that never produce children?  If procreation is the basis of a marriage, then why is it we have sex without the intent of having children?  Why are there so many forms of birth control as well as surgical means to prevent pregnancy.  For me, marriage is a commitment of the love shared between two people, their proclamation of wanting to join together as one.  People do not get married to have children they get married out of love.

Nature:

Homosexuality is not natural.

I so love debunking this one, it is so much fun and easily tossed aside by a little research.  Homosexual behavior has been observed in close to 1,500 species, ranging from primates to gut worms, and is well documented for 500 of them (wikipedia).  Now, how can you argue with those numbers?  Some might claim poor vision on the part of the animals…  while that might be true for one specific case, the thought does not hold water to the critical thinker.  Oh, you want to argue about my use of Wikipedia as a source?  Well, the links provided in that article are from more scholarly sources and do in fact make the same claims as the original sentence.  The fact is homosexuality is a natural occurrence and not just as a form of establishing dominance.

What it all really boils down to is that homosexuality, and same-sex marriage, offend people on a personal level.  As I stated in the title, it offends their perception of reality.  While ones personal opinions and beliefs cannot be wrong, attempting to force them on everyone else is very wrong.  Aside from the fact that this country was created on the concept of equality for all, as intelligent, self-aware beings we are deserving of living our own lives how we choose.  The fact is we should not have to have a law allowing same-sex marriage, it should just be, like anything else that applies to us, we should not have to fight for these inherent rights as they are already rights we are entitled to.

As I stated at the beginning, the reality is at some point we will have a federal law legalizing same-sex marriage.  Just as we have laws allowing rights for women, Blacks and other minorities they will come about for LGBT citizens as well.  All that remains is how long you are going to draw this fight out for before realizing the simple truth that it does not matter what you think or feel, it comes down to what is right.

Related articles

• Same-Sex Marriage Question To Appear On Maine Ballot (thinkprogress.org)
• Marriage Equality Question to Appear on 2012 Maine Ballot; LGBT Advocates ‘Comfortable About Winning’ (towleroad.com)
• Senate passes same-sex marriage bill (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Maine Rep. Pingree Endorses Marriage Equality On House Floor (thinkprogress.org)
• Maine poised for 2nd public vote on gay marriage (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Maine Secures Ample Signatures For Marriage Equality Ballot Question (thinkprogress.org)
• What the Bible Says – And Doesn’t Say – About Homosexuality (soulforce.org)
• Homosexual behavior in animals (wikipedia.org)