Gay Marriage

I'm a generally happy person. Sure, I often use this forum to jokingly complain about things -- but it's just that: Joking. It's a source of writing material.

In any case, I don't get sad all that often. There aren't too many things in my life right now that make me sad, so I'm very fortunate.

But something that jolts me out of my little happy life and fills me with a sense of deep sadness is the fight over gay marriage. I read articles like this and suddenly get reminded of that inner sadness I carry around about the fight over gay rights.

I get confused as to why entire Christian organizations devote themselves to defeating gay marriage. A group of people will take all their resources and put them towards keeping equal rights away from another group of people.

Are Amy and I hurting anyone? How is my undying love for her hurting anyone? Why does giving us equal benefits tear people up? Why shouldn't I be allowed to visit her in an emergency room if something happens? Why can't we have inheritance rights? If we're a stable family who wants to raise a kid in our loving home, why can't we do that?

I know people will answer that with "Well, it's a religious question. People see the passages in the Bible, interpret them literally, and then immediately use that to justify their fight against gay rights."

These Christian groups spend millions of dollars getting the American public to follow them, "Believe us! Letting gays have equal rights will destroy family values! Letting gays marry each other is the downfall of our society! Gay marriage? What's next, people wanting to marry their pets?"

That argument about marrying animals kills me -- what the f kind of reasoning and logic is that?

But we don't live in a theocracy, so give me a better argument than the Bible forbids homo activity. How is allowing gay marriage going to destroy the US?

Anyway, aren't there more important and pressing issues these groups should be focusing on? Couldn't those millions of dollars be better spent on helping the poor in local communities, getting kids into supportive situations, etc...?

I know I said in a previous post that it's great if you take a stand for what you believe in. It makes me sad, but sure, if you really don't like gays and don't think they should have any rights, then okay, those are your beliefs. I'm sad that you won't take a chance and look at why you believe that, maybe go meet some gay folks and realize that we're humans too, but okay, those are your beliefs.

The whole issue just makes me profoundly sad, though.

Are my straight friends taking a stand when they hear homophobic remarks around them? Do they take the extra minute or so to contact their legislators about anti-gay legislation? Do they stop to think about some of the stupid things we have to deal with? I have to fill out separate tax filings even though Amy and I got married last August. We have to conciously adjust our job search to make sure we're in areas where we won't get harassed or get the crap beaten out of us for being gay. When I interview for a job, I have to think about how an out person can function in that office, or see if that company offers domestic partnership benefits. The list goes on.

I'm not trying to whine here, I'm trying to tell the truth. I think people forget these things too easily.

I read a good quote on Metafilter a few months back when people were first chatting about that Texas sodomy law being struck down. A reader posted a comment about how the gay rights movement in 20+ years will strike a similar chord as the civil rights movement, where legislators and major public officials will be backpedaling, trying to justify their hatred of gays in speech and legislation of the past.

I want to believe that things will get better for GLBT people, but that Nation article freaks me out.

And that's my rambling rant for today.