Marriage

With the recent national focus on how individual states define marriage I think it would be good to give potential voters of the future insight into how I see the issue just to keep the intent of this blog true.
I have absolutely no problem with marriage licenses being issues for same sex marriages and all of the same legal rights and requirements being available as they are for opposite sex couples. There have been arguments posed that allowing same sex couples to attain the same legal status “lessens” the bond of marriage. I consider this to be one of the more ignorant statements I have heard. How does allowing 2 people to express their commitment to one another make your commitment any less valid?
While I can see how some people are not comfortable with the idea of homosexuality I do not believe that they have the right to dictate how others live their lives. Just because one’s belief is that something is wrong does not make it wrong for the rest of the world. I will not address the influence of religious beliefs on legal matters here except to say that they should not.
When I saw a couple getting married on television that had been denied previously the ability to declare legally their intent to remain committed to one another for the rest of their lives I was touched. There is something beautiful about the pure joy of marriage that gives me hope for the future of our country. While I am not myself sexually attracted to someone of the same sex I do understand, from talking to many that are, that the feelings are no less real than for those of us attracted to the opposite sex. The love expressed is no less genuine and the commitment no less authentic.
Many of those opposing same sex marriage use the “traditional family” argument. I’ve yet to hear a reasonable argument explaining how, exactly, the traditional family, which now includes multiple sets of families for many children of divorced parents, is any more loving or stable than a family of same sex parents. I would be interested in someone being able to present an argument that does not invoke religion in support of limiting this legal right just to see if it can be done but it has not yet happened in any discussions I’ve had.
One final thing to close this entry. For those that will circle back around to a religious basis for this argument because you can find no other, why would you not be fighting just as hard to make illegal divorce for opposite sex couples as you are to prevent same sex couples from marrying? It seems to me that the same core set of beliefs is being violated by divorce but it actually has a direct impact on too many of you so gets overlooked. All I want is some consistency in your convictions.
Have a great weekend everyone.