What happened to the freedom of choice? What happened to the separation of church and state? What happened to the government discouraging discrimination?

Everybody has this idea about the way things “should be” and they are so resistant to change and that resistance has caused a huge controversy about something that just should not even be an issue.

What am I talking about?

Marriage.

Yep, simple… marriage. A social union or legal contract between two individuals who love each other. It’s been happening for decades. So what’s the problem?

Well, did I mention that the type of marriage I am referring to is same-sex marriage?

In this country same-sex relationships are taboo and same-sex marriage is not what “should be”. People are so afraid of change, or of something new or different, that they fight very hard against it; to the point that an otherwise non-issue becomes blown out of proportion. Take racism for example, the non-issue of someone’s skin color has gotten so blown out of proportion because, let’s face it, it is something different. People are afraid of something that is different then they are.

We all are resistant to change and new things. Some of us more then others. However, the fact is that same sex-relationships and marriage are not such a new thing. They have been happening longer then most people want to admit. The only difference is that now, within the last decade or so, more light has been shed on the subject because people in same sex-relationships simply want to be accepted, have equality and civil rights. And rightfully so!

Denmark has had a form of gay marriage since 1989 and Canada has legalized same-sex marriage as well. So what is the problem here in the U.S.?

The United States is supposed be the based on the freedom of choice and we are supposed have equality. Does that only apply to certain people?

If so, that is not a democracy.

What happened to freedom of choice? If we have freedom of choice, do we not then have the right to choose who we marry and choose to spend our lives with?

People against same-sex marriage say that…yes people have the right to choose who they marry as long as it is a heterosexual relationship. Why? Because……that is the way it “should be”.

Who says that’s the way it “should be”? God?

Well here is a thought to consider…If it is true that science has proven that people who are gay are born that way and if what people who believe in God say is true, God does not make mistakes, then does God not purposefully creates gay people. If God creates gay people, then who are we to say that they should not be in relationships, or even marriage, with one another?

The subject of God brings me my second question, what happened to the separation of church and state?

The issue of same-sex marriage is more of a moral issue then a legal issue. Churches and religious beliefs are playing a big part in legal matters. And they should not be.

A legal matter really is something that involves issues that are potentially harmful to someone else; such as drunk driving. In that case, the government should step in and laws should be made; however, who does it hurt if gay people get married? Unlike drunk driving, when boiled down to its simpliest form, who does same-sex marriage hurt?

Doesn’t the government have more important things to worry about then who gets married to whom when it doesn’t harm anyone? This is an issue the government really needs to treat it like abortion for example. When it comes to abortion, while morally opposed by many churches, it is still legally left up to the woman to choose what to do with her own body. The issue of 'is it murder' is another discussion.  The point is women have the right to choose.  Does it not stand to reason then that when it comes to same-sex marriage, while morally opposed by many churches, it should still be legally left up to the individuals, same-sex or not, to decide what type of legal contract they want to enter into?

That leads me into the third question…what happened to the government, state and federal, discouraging discrimination?

Discrimination, by definition means, treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person based on the group, class, or category to which that person belongs rather than on individual merit.

Given the definition, is it not discrimination to deny certain groups of people rights that others have based on their sexual orientation? Isn't like denying certain groups of people rights based on religion, race or gender?

According to Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, by not being allowed to marry, in essence being discriminated against, gay people are denied over 1,000 legal and economic benefits provided by both the federal government and state governments to legally married couples. Most of these benefits cannot be privately arranged or contracted for.

So again I’ll ask you, What happened to the freedom of choice? What happened to the separation of church and state? What happened to the government discouraging discrimination?

I’ll leave it you to decide.