Reflections On Gay Marriage Fight In America
Moving ahead on the great social issues of the day has never been easy. From women securing the right to vote, to inter-racial marriage, the slope has been steep for all those who fought for their rights. But who would say today that any of those battles that were fought have not been worth it, or the end result not a contributing factor to a stronger nation. A more just nation.
The ruling by the California State Supreme Court yesterday that stated lesbian and gay couples have the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals is but one battle in the long running series of legal cases to insure gay couples receive the same legal protection as others who have the right to marry. No more. No less. That legal necessity may unnerve some and cause great consternation in others, but the fight for civil rights and equal protection has always faced the rougher edges of society on the way under the constitutional umbrella.
The nation is no longer blind to the fact that gay couples live everywhere, and participate openly in all segments of society. There are no longer the widespread whispers and rumors about gay folks as they themselves fight openly and honestly for their legal rights. With younger Americans in large numbers finding that gay rights is totally proper, and even older citizens recognizing the absurdity over denying gay couples legal protection, there is a change happening in the nation. The Supreme Court decision in California was a reflection of that changing national mind-set.
There are still hurdles and fights and days when set-backs will occur. But there is a real sense of optimism and pride in the air today for all those who love the idea that this nation can still open wide the gates of equality. For gay couples in America it feels great!
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Patrick,
A sincere and heartfelt thanks.
As a conservative and catholic, this issue is a little more difficult for me. Like you, I find the argument that gay marriage undermines my own marriage a difficult one to understand. Marriage is first and foremost a union, a private sphere of communication between loving individuals. Like many Americans from my generation, I’ve grown up in an atmosphere which first rejected and then condenmed racism–homosexuality was an entirely different matter. But life experience has dispelled the myths and misconceptions I’ve had regarding this matter to a remarkable extent. The simple and unavoidable conclusion I’ve come to is that the homosexuals in my life are warm, giving, and caring people. I’ve found them to be open, good listeners. My point is not that homosexuals are all saints; I’m sure there are plenty of jerks, but that they share my joy in committed loving relationships and strong families. Furthermore, the generation moving through high school these days will complete this renewal of American family values. Perhaps the ling devisive argument is nearing its end, and we are moving toward common ground. I’m tired of the burdens placed upon my gay friends too; I hope soon they’ll no longer have to explain themselves, that the calibur of their relationship will speak for itself, that they will enjoy the quite privacy the rest of us married couples do–at least until its time to decide whose turn it is to take out the garbage.