Same sex marriage: what’s the big deal?
(originally printed in Laconia Citizen 2/11/04 and, in edited form, the NH Union Leader)
In the following paragraphs I would like to address some of the issues I’ve been hearing repeatedly regarding the issue of same sex marriage.
The Sanctity of marriage: What ‘sanctity’? How can you even bandy about terms like ‘sanctity’ in a country where the divorce rate sits at a solid 60%! SIXTY PER CENT!!! You read it right! Heck, maybe if we allow a few other people into the ‘marriage club’ we can bring that number down! Furthermore marriage is a civil institution that is then sanctified, if one chooses, in the church, synagogue or mosque of ones choice. For instance, a Justice of the Peace married my wife and me. Does that mean our marriage is some how sub-par? And that, by my support of same sex marriage; I will some how ruin the sanctity of the Laconia Country Club where the service was held? And what’s more, I better not find that ONE of you that are against same sex marriage has been divorced or had their marriage annulled! And if you did, you better not have re-married! Sanctity of Marriage INDEED!
Without children there is no Marriage: This one really gets my goat! So, let me understand this, if my wife and I never have kids our marriage is a sham? I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that statement ridiculous, and pretty damn annoying. There are also the recent studies that tell us there are more than 150,000 same sex couples raising kids in the U.S. today.
We want to promote strong family values: Conservatives should be jumping for joy! Allowing same sex marriages would just promote family stability! And family stability promotes strong family values! And that’s what I’m hearing those opposed to same sex marriage saying they so desperately want! And remember folks, we (supposedly) have a separation of church and state, so ‘family values’ does not necessarily mean ‘Judeo-Christian’ values.
The Bible says homosexuality is wrong: Yeah, yeah, yeah, there is a mention of that in Leviticus (Lev. 18:22 to be precise). Leviticus also says some other cool things too! For example: eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 10:10), Lev. 20:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight (not only will Mao brand you an intellectual for wearing glasses, but God doesn’t want to ‘see’ you either!), it also allows that I may ‘…buy slaves from the nations that are around…’ (Lev. 25:44) I think, perhaps, we should start with ‘…do unto others…’ with a heavy dose of ‘…let he who cast the first stone…’ and go from there.
All you need is Love: What in the heck bothers everyone so much about this? I just don’t understand! This really isn’t a ‘moral’ question. I think it’s more of a legal one. Same sex couples would like to enjoy the same rights and privileges that any other legally bound couple has in this country. Would you deny a loved one visitation rights if they were in an accident just because they’re the same sex? Would you deny them health insurance (and don’t say AIDS will cost us a fortune, or I’ll start quoting the health care costs related to smoking! Trust me, there are a lot more smokers than people sick with AIDS.), or the ability for them to inherit their loved ones possessions just because they’re the same sex? When did being in love, and wanting to spend the rest of your life with one person become such a horrible thing?
Why are people so afraid of gay folk? They’re not vampires!
“Whatever you do don’t touch ‘em…or you become one!”
C’mon! If you believe that: Hey! Look there’s a rainbow! Did you know that Santa helps the Easter Bunny collect the leprechaun gold that’s in the pot right at the base of that rainbow?
I just don’t understand.
From now on, if anyone asks, I am a gay man married to another man and we’re raising a child together! And if you don’t like it go burn a bull on the alter of sacrifice so it ‘…may present a pleasing odor unto the lord…’ (Lev. 1:9) and pray for my families’ damnation. I know I’ll be praying for the scales to fall from your eyes.
In the following paragraphs I would like to address some of the issues I’ve been hearing repeatedly regarding the issue of same sex marriage.
The Sanctity of marriage: What ‘sanctity’? How can you even bandy about terms like ‘sanctity’ in a country where the divorce rate sits at a solid 60%! SIXTY PER CENT!!! You read it right! Heck, maybe if we allow a few other people into the ‘marriage club’ we can bring that number down! Furthermore marriage is a civil institution that is then sanctified, if one chooses, in the church, synagogue or mosque of ones choice. For instance, a Justice of the Peace married my wife and me. Does that mean our marriage is some how sub-par? And that, by my support of same sex marriage; I will some how ruin the sanctity of the Laconia Country Club where the service was held? And what’s more, I better not find that ONE of you that are against same sex marriage has been divorced or had their marriage annulled! And if you did, you better not have re-married! Sanctity of Marriage INDEED!
Without children there is no Marriage: This one really gets my goat! So, let me understand this, if my wife and I never have kids our marriage is a sham? I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that statement ridiculous, and pretty damn annoying. There are also the recent studies that tell us there are more than 150,000 same sex couples raising kids in the U.S. today.
We want to promote strong family values: Conservatives should be jumping for joy! Allowing same sex marriages would just promote family stability! And family stability promotes strong family values! And that’s what I’m hearing those opposed to same sex marriage saying they so desperately want! And remember folks, we (supposedly) have a separation of church and state, so ‘family values’ does not necessarily mean ‘Judeo-Christian’ values.
The Bible says homosexuality is wrong: Yeah, yeah, yeah, there is a mention of that in Leviticus (Lev. 18:22 to be precise). Leviticus also says some other cool things too! For example: eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 10:10), Lev. 20:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight (not only will Mao brand you an intellectual for wearing glasses, but God doesn’t want to ‘see’ you either!), it also allows that I may ‘…buy slaves from the nations that are around…’ (Lev. 25:44) I think, perhaps, we should start with ‘…do unto others…’ with a heavy dose of ‘…let he who cast the first stone…’ and go from there.
All you need is Love: What in the heck bothers everyone so much about this? I just don’t understand! This really isn’t a ‘moral’ question. I think it’s more of a legal one. Same sex couples would like to enjoy the same rights and privileges that any other legally bound couple has in this country. Would you deny a loved one visitation rights if they were in an accident just because they’re the same sex? Would you deny them health insurance (and don’t say AIDS will cost us a fortune, or I’ll start quoting the health care costs related to smoking! Trust me, there are a lot more smokers than people sick with AIDS.), or the ability for them to inherit their loved ones possessions just because they’re the same sex? When did being in love, and wanting to spend the rest of your life with one person become such a horrible thing?
Why are people so afraid of gay folk? They’re not vampires!
“Whatever you do don’t touch ‘em…or you become one!”
C’mon! If you believe that: Hey! Look there’s a rainbow! Did you know that Santa helps the Easter Bunny collect the leprechaun gold that’s in the pot right at the base of that rainbow?
I just don’t understand.
From now on, if anyone asks, I am a gay man married to another man and we’re raising a child together! And if you don’t like it go burn a bull on the alter of sacrifice so it ‘…may present a pleasing odor unto the lord…’ (Lev. 1:9) and pray for my families’ damnation. I know I’ll be praying for the scales to fall from your eyes.
posted by M.C. Steve | 1:54 PM
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