That's right folks, it doesn't matter what race or sexual orientation you hail from, you have the right to be married to the partner of your choosing. No If's, no And's, no But's.
Marriage is about a partnership, it is about commitment and it is about love. Denying anyone the right to marry is wrong and to be frank and honest, when this denial is based on religious "principles" it is a travesty against both human rights and the very religion that is being "defended".
Curious as to what brought this post on? Recently California's Supreme court recognized that same-sex couples have the right to get married. Prop. 8 went onto the ballot as a proposition to eliminate that right. On November 4th, California voted 52.2% to 47.8% to strip same-sex couples of their right to get state-recognized, legal marriages.
I've heard some people spout off about how we shouldn't "redefine marriage". But until marriage was redefined in 1967, many states had laws on the books that made it illegal (a felony) for couples of differing racial heritages to be married. In 1967, Loving v. Virginia was brought before the Supreme Court which ruled (unanimously) that the "Racial Integrity Act of 1924" was unconstitutional and interracial couples had the right to be married. Mildred Loving who fought the state of Virginia for the right to be with the one she loved had this to say, "Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don't think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the "wrong kind of person" for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people's religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people's civil rights. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about." (June 12, 2007).
Another argument cites the sanctity of marriage. Well, if this, this and this (and this and this) don't destroy the supposed sanctity of marriage, I fail to see how gay marriage can. Does denying some people the right to marriage make yours stronger? One of my favorite slogans in regards to same-sex marriage is "If you don't want gay marriage, don't get one!" If you don't believe that same-sex marriage is right, don't marry someone of the same-sex!
Just trying to write this out gets me angry. Because it hurts something deep inside me to know that there are people in this world who would willfully deny a basic human and civil right to another human. Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans-gendered people have the same capacity for love that all humans do. Telling someone that they can have "civil unions" or "commitment ceremonies" when everyone else can have a marriage is wrong. Separate is not equal.
"We all deserve the right to love!"
"Gay, straight, black, white: Marriage is a civil right"
"Jesus had two daddies"
People of all races and sexualities should be allowed to marry whomever they want.
