Marriage Is So Gay

Boy, the internet pisses me off sometimes.  Friday, in the wake of the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage and the terror attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait, I read someone questioning whether terror attacks might be looming in the U.S. (legitimate question) and whether said attacks would be God's way of showing us that he was displeased with SCOTUS (eye-rolling, forehead-slapping, heavy sigh-inducing question.)  Who, besides the Westboro Baptists, thinks like this?  And for those that do, why?  What's the problem here?

I think the biggest issue is a lack of empathy.  For two seconds, put yourself in someone else's shoes.  If you were gay, would you not seek the same things?  What are gay and lesbian couples really asking for?  To have their bond with their partner recognized by the state.  To be able to visit their sick lover in the hospital.  To help make end-of-life medical decisions.  To reap the same tax benefits.  To have the same perks that married straight couples have.  Sir, nobody is asking you to marry a dude.  Mam, no one is suggesting you take a wife.  Nobody is saying you can't find it repulsive or against God's will.  I submit that same-sex love is perfectly natural, but if you don't subscribe to that thinking, nobody is saying you must.  Likewise, empathy is not required. I just ask that you try it on for size and ask yourself, "How does it harm me?"

I say to the fervent believers that feel God should smite homosexuals-"Be patient."  We will all learn the truth when our Earth time ends.  Maybe there is an afterlife.   Maybe we'll just be a bag of bones.  Just be patient.  If you are right and gays are sinners doing the Devil's bidding that are doomed to literally be flamers as they burn in Hell, you have all Eternity to gloat.  But while you are Earthbound, how about showing some empathy, showing some compassion, showing some respect for those that are different than you.  Different, by the way, in ways that affect you not one iota.

Like the esteemed philosopher, Forrest Gump, I am not a smart man, but I know what love is.  I know married gay men who express their love and affection better than most straight couples.  I know women who, if they decided, in addition to being awesome aunts and great mommies to their  fur babies, that they wanted kids of their own, would be amazing moms.  It may not fit everyone's definition of family.  It may not fit everyone's defintion of marriage.  So what?  I often hear we should be more religious in this country, a more Christian nation.  What about the significant percentage of the population that does not believe in God or any Supreme Being?  Why on Earth would they feel compelled to be bound by the rules and authority of a figurehead they don't even think exists?  People of faith should use their faith to guide themselves; the Rule of Law should be the Rule of Man (and Woman). 

So what do we do next?  I have seen it suggested government should have nothing at all to do with the union of two people.  That smacks a little of "I'm taking my ball and going home.", but I could get on board with this for the most part.  I think keeping taxes or assets an individual thing would be fine.  It is the medical/death decisions that I think would get sticky.  Maybe, since we can't agree on a definition, we should simply eliminate the word "marriage" from government.  Everyone gets a Civil Union.  Man to woman, man to man, woman to woman, transgender to transgender, man to goldfish; everybody gets a civil union.  We don't have to worry about  Natural Law; we can just worry about the law.  Marriage remains a religious institution.  Churches get to enforce their definitions within their domain.  Civil Unions can give equal rights to estates, medical directives, taxes, hospital visits, etc.  It might be a little awkward at first for those that have been married a while.  Honey, here on our anniversary, I love you more than ever.  I can't believe it's been fifteen years since we were civilly united. But awkward is okay.  Love is awkward and messy.  Love is hard.  But, at least on Friday, Love wins.