Gay Marriage

The wonderful Coffee Bean is preparing her thoughts on today's hottest topic, Gay Marriage (tomorrow's hottest topic will be French Onion Soup.)


I'd certainly head over and see what her blogging pals (myself included) have to say about it.

In the mean time, I have my own question:

Coming from Europe, and having lived in Paris and even having paid to go and see Brokeback Mountain (which was stunning for the scenery, a little bit squirmworthy for the sodomy) I really have no problems with gay people, gay marriage or whatever.

As long as it's behind closed doors between two consenting adults, I don't think anybody has the right to cast judgement. The decision to ban gay marriage in California is, as far as I'm concerned, just retarded.

But apparently, I'm (just barely) in the minority. So I ask this: What IS the problem with two consenting adults entering into a legally binding, monogamous relationship with all the rights and responsibilities of traditional marriage?

What's wrong with gay people getting married?

And I don't just want the tired old: "Oh, it undermines the sanctity of marriage" unless you're going to back it up with facts and examples or at least your thought process for saying that. The last person who made that claim admitted they were from a fatherless home themselves.

I mean, 'traditional marriage' is as dead as disco. Two out of three marriages ends in divorce anyway. It's all a farce unless you're in it for the long haul, straight OR gay. It's my fifth wedding anniversary tomorrow and, as far as I know, we're on our way to beating the odds.

So please, tell me: "What is wrong with gay marriage?" and, to channel my high school history teacher, Mr Tosh, please let's see the thought process behind why you feel that way.

There will be no poo-pooing, no scorn, no insults and no judgement from me. Just open minded curiosity. To my mind, it's all outlined in the Declaration of Independence:

"...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

In Loving vs. Virginia, the Supreme Court of the United States decision that allowed interracial marriage, it was declared:

"Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

If you disagree with that, why?