Yesterday, a slim majority (53%) of voters in Maine elected to repeal legislature which would have allowed same-sex couples in the state to marry. Thus, rather than joining the five other states in the U.S. which have legalized gay marriage, the Pine Tree State became the 31st to deny same-sex couples the right to marry.
Sadly, the figures represented in this election aren’t exclusive to Maine alone. In fact, these percentages are nearly identical to a snapshot of those representing the entire country’s opinion on the matter. Approximately 55% of the American population still opposes gay marriage. Here are their reasons.
The constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Unless you’ve been brainwashed into believing that we live in a 100% ideal, Utopian society, then your mind should at least be open enough to realize that not everything in the Constitution is perfect. This is why we have amendments, to change principles when change is called for. The Constitution also used to support slavery and sexism. Should we have kept those traditions around because a piece of paper failed to condemn their practice? Of course not.
If you fail to ackowledge any faults in the document, you can at least focus on its other implications. The pursuit of happiness? Separation of church and state? America’s beloved Constitution doesn’t oppose gay marriage. The way that opponents of justice choose to interpret its context does.
Homosexuality is a sin.
According to an interpretation of Leviticus, yes. But here's something you may not know: the United States is NOT a theocracy. We don't all have to subscribe to one set of religious beliefs, or any set of religious beliefs for that matter. I've actually found that the majority of people who use their religion to justify their discriminatory beliefs and actions, don't have the first clue what they're plugging. If your only knowledge of your own beliefs is that 'I heard on the news that God doesn't support gay marriage,' you're probably better off not opening your mouth. If we are going to make laws based on a religion's principles, then we can't pick and choose which to follow. There are commandments condemning infidelity, disrespecting your parents, lying, and being jealous/ materialistic. There are parts in the Bible that tell us not to eat shellfish, not to get tattoos, and not to wear polyester. (Don't believe it? http://www.bspcn.com/2009/06/23/11-things-the-bible-bans-but-you-do-anyway/) Are we going to make laws banning all of these things in the name of God? No? Why not..because they're harmless? Right. So is same-sex marriage.
And besides. Leviticus condemns homsexuality, not gay marriage. Clearly, these couples are still going to be together, engaging in homosexual behavior. So congratulations, your vote did nothing but make life harder for some innocent people. So now, despite how long a gay couple has been together, they are denied basic rights only granted through marriage. If one ends up in the hospital, the other cannot visit because technically, they aren't "family." Because of your vote. How Christian of you.
A furthur argument raised by these superhero 'defenders of religion' regards the term marriage itself. Some opponent activists claim that because "marriage" was originially a religious term, it cannot extend itself to allow for same-sex love. This is one of the clearest examples of unfair discrimination against homosexuals. The term 'marriage' has evolved, just as marriages and society itself has evolved. And if this 'defense' of marriage is the real reason people don't want same-sex marriages, then why are they the only group being targeted? It's hate. These activists aren't out lobbying in the streets against Atheists or Agnostics getting married. You won't see them attempting to pass legislature preventing an unmarried pregnant couple from wedding, or a man or woman who has been unfaithful to their partner. Because these people are not their target.
Yes, certain Biblical scripture can be interpreted as suggesting that homosexuality is sinful. But there is also a story in the Bible about people throwing stones, and how only the completely innocent has a right to judge another person. So who cares if your religion tells you that homosexuality is sinful? The legalization of equal marriage isn't going to make you gay! Clearly, you don't care about these people in the first place. So let them practice their free will. If you honestly believe they're going to go to hell, then fine, believe whatever you want. But judging isn't your job. Human beings have free will, and nobody has a right to interfere in another person's choices, especially when they're not hurting anybody.
Gay couples cannot procreate.
Yep, same reason we deny marriage rights to elderly couples and infertile men and women. And why we legally void marriages after a vasectomy has taken place. Oh, and the world isn’t overpopulated enough already. There aren’t kids in adoption centers who desperately need homes. Lets just make some more.
Children need a male and a female parental figure.
Did you know that we allow convicted sex offenders and murders to have families when they’re released? If children are really the priority in this argument, then why isn’t that fact given a second thought? Why don’t we seize the children of single moms and dads? Clearly they need a male and female parental figure. Numerous psychological studies have PROVEN conclusively that it is the love and attention of parents, not their gender, which plays a role in the child’s development.
The Pandora’s Box Theory.
You can thank Bill O’Rielly for this one. His best defense against same-sex marriage was to liken it to marrying his pet dog, imploring as to what would stop the legalization of this sort of perverse act if same-sex marriage became acceptable.Yes, people actually believe that legalizing same-sex marriage would lead to people marrying their pets and inanimate objects.
Except: Society would still have to VOTE to legalize any new concepts. It isn’t like these new behaviors would just slip through the cracks. Legalizing same-sex marriage would NOT dismantle the democratic system we have established and maintained for the last couple centuries. It would not be chaos or anarchy. It would be justice. Giving people equal rights is a step in the RIGHT direction. It’s progress. In fact, some Scandinavian countries have legalized gay marriage. When is the last time you heard of a Scandinavian marrying their Golden Retriever? Oh, right. It hasn’t happened, and that argument is ridiculous.
Children will learn about same-sex marriage in public schools, thus corrupting their poor innocent souls.
GOOD. Children shouldn’t be sheltered! Homosexuality is real, whether you like it or not, it exists, and it isn’t dangerous. Kids should be taught tolerance and understanding. Why are we trying to deny the existence of same-sex couples? It isn’t protecting anyone. Should we stop warning our kids about strangers with candy, or telling them that the top of the stove can burn their hand, to maintain their innocence for a little longer?
Every day I’m more and more ashamed to call myself an American. The hypocrisy spewing out of this country is intolerable. How can people today condemn racism and sexism, and express disgust with past practices of slavery, segregation, and unequal voting rights, yet still support today’s homophobia? Discrimination is not okay, and I’m angry and embarassed that my country supports it. Despite what our national anthem claims, we are neither the land of the free, nor the home of the brave. Until that supposed liberty applies to everyone, and until we actually become ‘brave’ enough to accept what we don’t understand, or fear, or hate, this is not a free country.
“We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
-Martin Luther King Jr
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