marriage for gay people

I have never dreamed of getting married. I value my relationships deeply, but I've always felt cynical about the "institution" of marriage. Maybe it's because my parents are divorced (though I believe that was the right thing for them), maybe it's because people get married without thought or care, sans "sanctity", it is often not honored as a commitment, and in general made a joke of. I know, there are many happily married people who honor that commitment, and to you I apologize - in fact, it is these kinds of folks who make the "rest of us" ie queers,lesbians, gay men, WANT to get married.

Would we be fighting over it if there weren't legal benefits? And why do married couples get all these legal benefits regarding taxes, healthcare, property rights anyway? What does that have to do with the "sanctity of marriage"? If I take care of a sick family member for years, pay for all their care and tend to them, why shouldn't we be legally allowed financial benefits? Perhaps some history on marriage is appropriate here. "Most ancient societies needed a secure environment for the perpetuation of the species,a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights, and the protection of bloodlines. The institution of marriage handled these needs." Hmm, property rights, bloodlines - sounds pretty economic to me.

Despite all this, my not wanting to get married (and I am a lesbian) doesn't mean I don't think I should BE ABLE to have the option. Everyone else can get married, hell sometimes even more than once at a time! To me, this is an issue of equality, of civil rights. And excuse the tangent, but why do the people who aren't gay CARE? What's it to you? I find that most of these folks don't know anyone gay, don't have any contact with gay people and therefor how can you have issue with, or a problem with someone you don't even have a direct discourse with? I really don't get it - why do you care? I don't care what you do. I'm not out protesting polygamy, even though I disagree with it. I'm not protesting marriage in any way, even though it is abused by non-gays ALL THE TIME. I mean really, just bugger off.

I hear the religious folks proselytizing - it is a sacred bond between man and woman, a right given by God. Oh really? Did God mean for only WHITE people to be allowed to marry, because for most of America's history, those black folks, your neighbors, they couldn't marry - why? Because they were considered PROPERTY. Did your God tell you that shit was ok with him?

But hey, this was a constitutional ban - a government affair - a little too closely bullied by Religious Money and Power - but whatever - let's just ignore that bit about separation between church and state - let's stick to the people who passed the laws, I mean BAN. So marriage is a bond between a man and woman, and we don't have (legal) slavery anymore, so ok, really? Any man and woman? In point of fact, until 1967 - yes, only 40 some odd years ago, a black person could not marry a white person in SIXTEEN STATES in the US, that's 1/3 of the country.

So don't tell me that queers are trying to redefine marriage. Don't tell me the foundation of our society is based on marriage when 50% or more end in divorce (thought that would explain the current SHITHOLE we're in), don't give me any more excuses why the homophobic people of california, arizona, arkansas and florida - say that no, we are not equal, we can't marry - they are just bigots, so BE BIGOTS and TRY and defend that shit because NOW you have pissed off many, many people who love their partners and will defend that love - just as you would, homophobic america, if I passed a ban on you telling you your marriage was NULL and VOID.

Yeah, you can expect me on the steps of city hall, and writing letters, and protesting in every way possible until this gets resolved. Because this is AMERICA, land of the free and home of the brave. So I'm taking my brave free ass out there and telling you NO, I will not sit in the back of the bus.