How Getting Married Made Me An Activist

to Emilyam - Though I get your point, I think you should look up your history on marriage. Gay marriage has been around for thousands of years, dating before Christ. Read up on it. The Romans particularly had gay marriage, until guess what religion took over their culture by force? Literally. Christianity. Looks like a pattern to me. So I believe we also have years and years to back up our claim to have a right to marriage. Just because an EQUAL right (and not separate or a "special" right with a new institution set up just for us) has been denied us since our country was found, doesn't mean we haven't "put in the work" as you have said. We have the right to value marriage just as much as you. I also suggest your study your civil rights history.

The people voted, they clearly made their choice on Prop 8, stick with the choice and move on. When something is voted in, I would suggest leaving it alone because that can leave room for whackos to come in and try to change the laws to do something evil. Once people vote, leave it alone.

I scratch my head and try to figure out why anyone would care if I marry a male or a female. How does this affect their lives.

Stop running these crap articles/essays. Yeah, everyone know you have a homosexual agenda. Lifestyle choices of your editors are not newsworthy no matter how hard you try putting them into cultural context.

nimodahooligan, First of all get a grip.. Secondly are you implying all parents put there children in front of TV and INternets? Really this is off topic, war?

No, First Marriage is not just a binding contract between two people, it is God`s plan for us, a man and a woman. Unfortunately this society is on the downfall from God because of it`s great disobedience, tolerating sin, first we comfort homosexuals, next we will be comforting drug addicts and alcoholics, saying that`s ok, go ahead and smoke more crack and take another shot. We are seeing god`s judgment upon us, just look at hurricane kartina, it wouldn`t be too far off to speculate.

I find it interesting that so many people posting anti-gay sentiments are speaking in such a dramatic doomsday fashion. They speak of sins and abominations, fights and perversions. I wonder if these people, who are speaking in such harsh, black and white terms live their lives 100% according to The Bible. Multiple posters have mentioned Leviticus et al. But what about the other passeges that condone murder, slavery, the selling off of daughters? How can you follow one passage so fervently, but ignore others? It's hypocritical.

People are afraid of homosexuals in schools pushing their gay agenda. Well, as a gay man AND a teacher, I have but one agenda... to teach my kids. I teach what is in the Virginia State Curriculum and nothing else. I believe that I have no right to try and force children into believing what I believe. I trust their parents will teach them right and wrong, and so forth.

But, when people call it a choice, I have to ask when THEY made the choice to be straight. When did you circle that on the calendar? Was a list made showing the pros and cons? Did you agonize over such a profound decision? Or did you just live your life and let it unfold as it was intended. Guess what? I did the same thing. I grew up in a large, devoutly Catholic home. Both my parents loved me, as well as my 9 brothers and sisters. We had the exact same upbringing. I'm the gay one. I never chose it. It chose me. When I was in the process of coming out to my family, my mom simply said that this was how God made me. And he made me gay for a reason.

Regarding marriage though. I have to say that there is a distinct difference between the sacrament of matrimony and a civil marriage. Most gays I know, myself included, wouldn't want to get married in a church. This country was founded upon the tenet of Separation of Church and State. I don't want to get married in the eyes of God. I want to get married in the eyes of my govenment so I can someday provide for my husband and have a life together. I don't think that's wrong. The trouble with religious states is pretty clear... look at Iran. You are TOLD what to think. This country has evolved as a direct result of civil change. I pray that that trend will continue. Obviously, Prop 8 was a setback, but a temprary setback nonetheless. It'll happen.

Outside of age restrictions, I think this eventually has to be resolved beyond each state. I think its ridiculous that one state passes something, while another state does the opposite. Those that are able to get married should have the protection of the federal law behind them, not just a particular state law.
Equal rights to be recognized under the law, excluding the churches and what they decide to do. I have no idea how you resolve it with the church, but I do know whats right under federal civil law, and that is that gays should have equal rights in partner recognition.

I think the agenda is to make people accept it no matter what their beliefs are. I don't like saying GAy because it means happy. Noone seems happy on here, but a few people. You can get married, but that does not mean people will accept it. I know it will not change how I feel about marriage, marriage has always been to me, between a woman and a man and always will be. Marriage to a lot of people has nothing to do with religion, but the way things are and will always be, change is envitable, but it does not change everybody. Social norms have always existed, that is the truth. That's life, we will all have to live with the decisions we make without trying to get others to agree with it.

"Prevailing scientific opinion is that an individual's sexuality is determined at a very early age and that a child's teachers do not really influence this." Very well, now I understand why Dan White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter using the "Twinkie defense". This is an extract of an article from Wikipedia: 'Noted psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that White had been depressed at the time of the crime, and pointed to several factors indicating White's depression: he had quit his job; he shunned his wife; and although normally clean-cut, he had become slovenly in appearance. Furthermore, White had previously been a fitness fanatic and health food advocate, but had begun consuming Twinkies and Coca-Cola. As an incidental note, Blinder mentioned theories that elements of diet could worsen existing mood swings.[2] Another psychiatrist, George Solomon, testified that White had "exploded" and was "sort of on automatic pilot" at the time of the killings.[3] The fact that White had killed Moscone and Milk was not challenged, but ??? in part because of the testimony from Blinder and other psychiatrists ??? the defense successfully argued for a ruling of diminished capacity. White was thus judged incapable of the premeditation required for a murder conviction....'

I am a straight, married, Christian, 49-year-old working mother. How, exactly, does gay marriage threaten my family (or anyone else's)? Don't you think that God has better things to do -- much, much bigger problems to solve -- than worrying about who loves whom?