I have always sworn off of politics. I hate arguing, I hate tense situations, I hate debates. I know what I believe about all of the issues but I tend to take a very passive approach. Who am I to judge what others feel and believe? I don't want to be judged by my views on the world.
On this lovely Sunday morning of Labor Day, on a trip into Rochester to pick up food for a BBQ later with the family, I bought a Pioneer Press to get the coupons. Unfortunately, there were NO coupons in the whole paper. What a bummer! I then figured I may as well read the paper since I had bought the thing for a whole $1 (now that I own a house, $1 is a lot of money to waste)!
Glanced at the front page and happened to catch an article about a topic that I do have an opinion about and I do support. I posted a link to the article below in case anyone is interested:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_18816313?nclick_check=1
If you choose not to read it, the article is about the MN State Fair and the appearance of pro and anti groups for the upcoming marriage amendment next year. For those of you who don't know, and honestly I hadn't before I read the article (shows how much news I read haha), in 2012 there will be a vote for marriage to be defined in MN as being between a man and a woman.
Now, like I said before, I typically do not get into the whole debating thing. I prefer to live my happy little life and not create reasons for people to attack or ridicule me but this is the one and only issue that I have a real passion about. I am against the amendment to make marriage solely between a man and a woman.
I look around at how far our country has come. Considering in the past that there has been much discrimination because of age, race, gender . . . really the list goes on and on. I look at how our country has adapted and handled these issues. Of course, there were times of hardship and it took a long time to change the views of our society as a whole and of course you still see people who do discriminate (just not as vocally). I just don't understand how we can look at our struggling country, what with the economy, the current weather disasters that have caused major flooding on our East Coast, the still rather high costs of gas and cotton, the millions of animals that are in pounds and humane societies (and this list is just a few of the several hundred other problems that are happening) that we can get all worked up over two people who are of the same gender who want to show their commitment and love for each other by getting married.
One thing I have always stood for is HAPPINESS. I think that every person in the whole entire world deserves to be happy (as long as what makes them happy doesn't involve the physical/emotional harm to another living thing). If what makes me happy is to have a commitment with a woman and I want to solidify that by taking it to the next level, why should I not have the right to do so.
If you did read the article, you read the comments from Alan Lifson and Isabel Hart-Anderson. I really think they hit the nail right on the head with their comments about the amendment. I cannot understand why people believe that by allowing two people of the same sex to get married, that it harms the idea of marriage. Especially since almost 50% of marriages (and I have to think that virtually all of these marriages are between one man and one woman) end in divorce. Shouldn't divorce be the issue here? If marriage is so sacred to these individuals, why don't they protest for stronger prerequisites that couples are required to complete before getting married or why not protest to make divorce more difficult thus making marriage more of a commitment than it is in our society nowadays. Heck, Britney Spears was married and divorced in less than a week (not sure anyone remembers that anymore).
I'm sorry to be long-winded about this issue and if you have made it this far, I appreciate you taking the time. I am not the type to try to persuade anyone but I want to keep this issue in people's minds. One of my best male friends is gay and I want nothing better than for him to be in my life and at my future wedding with his partner. I also someday hope to be a part of his wedding if he and his partner choose to take it to the next level. Why don't they deserve the chance at happiness and marriage like everyone else does?
