Are the gay and lesbians trying to get married really looking for equal rights, or are they more interested in being in the spot light. Most of America is against the ideal that two men or two women can be married, but are not against the ideal that they can be a couple. If all that the gay and lesbians want is equal rights, then that is exactly what they need to ask for.

The concept of marriage is simple. It is the bond between a man and a woman under God. As we have seen many times in the polls and voting, this is the common belief of most Americans, and the values set forth for a society must reflect the individual beliefs of the majority of its members, basic sociology 101. What we have also seen in voting and polls is that most Americans are not against gay and lesbian couples. We as a society believe that this is a personal choice and we accept that.

This leads us to the compromise or solution, Civil Unions. A civil union would give a couple the same legal rights of a marriage, and is basically a marriage with a different name. As a society we are not against gay and lesbian couples having the same rights. We don’t want to discriminate. What we want is for our values and beliefs not to be disrespected, which is what would happen if we allow gay and lesbians to use the term marriage. There is a phrase I heard in college that fits this situation perfectly, ‘your rights end where mine begin’. The term marriage has been used by straight couples since the beginning, and by allowing the use of the term marriage, many straight couples believe their values are being imposed on. You don’t have that right.

If what the gay and lesbian community wants is the right to form a civil union, then ask for it. If they want to coin their own name for it, then that is fine also, just don’t use the term marriage, which is a sacred term to so many. If the ability for two men or two women to form a civil union were to be put on the ballot, do you really think that most Americans would deny them that right? I believe that most same sex couples are really only looking for equal rights, and would agree to use the term civil union (as long as the states provided the exact same rights and procedures as they do with marriages). The problem is the small, very public, groups that are trying to gain political power and public notoriety. They are creating all of the problems, and they are the ones that are keeping the rest of the same sex couples from enjoying their equal rights. The next time you see a protest over gay and lesbian marriages and they are screaming for equal rights, ask yourself is it for equal rights or is it just screaming.

Authors Notes: This is a subject that has created a lot of heated debates in the news and in the polical arena, but it seems so simple to fix. We have two sides battling it out in public, but both sides seem to be extremists and not representing the majority. You have religious leaders judging people on personal choices and trying to ban same sex unions, and on the other side gay and lesbian activists demanding to use the term mariage. Both sides need to come back to reality, back toward the middle. The majority of America stands in the gray area in between the two groups, and this is where the issue will be resolved. I was raised in the Catholic Church, the picture below is that of my church when I was a kid, with strict beliefs, which include not drinking and smoking. However, in that same church I was tought not to judge others, and force my beliefs onto someone else. I don't mind being around people who drink and smoke, nor do I mind being around same sex couples, because in the end, we are all God's children.