Somewhere over the rainbow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22526649@N03/18586314464

Most people, at least those with televisions, the Internet, or those who read, have seen this picture.  It was taken the night of the Landmark Supreme Court ruling that basically made same-sex marriage legal in the entire country.  To say that there are two sides to this issue is an understatement.  The comments coming forth just after the Court's ruling was made public were startling in contrast.  You had Clergy who had threatened to set themselves on fire if the ruling went in favor of Same-Sex Couples.  You had Ministers telling others that it was time to take up arms and utilize their Second Amendment Rights to secure their First Amendment Rights.  To say that this one issue has been polarizing is indeed an understatement of mammoth proportion.  Here's my question: Why?

In trying to look at this topic logically, I have to ask myself this simple, yet often overlooked questions: what does it matter, and who does it hurt?  I mean, does it really impact the lives of those around you if someone gets married?  Certainly if a family member gets married it might impact your family.  After all your daughter's husband's family could be completely different and crazier then your own family and that will change the atmosphere at any family gathering.  But my feeling is that those who have complained the most have always been using how they feel it will impact others as their central argument. I don't really care how it might affect others, I care how things affect me, and truth be told two people of the same sex getting married has absolutely zero to do with me, after all I'm not the one getting married to the two other people.  

Now I know that there will be those who read this and will decide that what I am writing today is so wrong that they will decide to never read another word of mine.  That is their right, and I will honor that right.  At the same time I must be true to me, and truth be told, I hid behind fear for so many years never able to live the life that was mine to live and love the person that I truly loved.  I have heard almost every argument as to why love and marriage was set aside for one man and one women. I have studied the bible, you know the book that so many want to quote, yet they only quote the passages that support their argument, and forget about the rest of what has been written.  In my studying I never heard Jesus speak one word about the "Gay" issue.  Now maybe I was blinded by my own gayness, but I am pretty sure it would have presented itself to me had it been there.  What Jesus did speak about at length was the topic of love.  He was love, he lived love, and he knew love.  Oh sure many believers will use the phrase "Hate the sin, but love the sinner.", but push come to shove love is the last thing on their mind when faced with issues that are contrary to their upbringing.  If they truly loved the "Sinner" would we be having this argument right now?

I am not here today to push the "Gay" agenda.  I think those who have fought this issue for years and years always talking about how it will affect the children, have already done a pretty good job of pushing the agenda themselves.  Why is it that the children are always the ones who have been put front and center in this argument.  I think that having two parents is the ideal situation for any child.  I commend those parents who have had to raise their children alone, and I applaud them for all of their efforts and the incredible job they have done.  I think any single parent if truthful would tell you that they would have preferred to have a partner along their side, but in many cases this just didn't happen.  If it takes two loving parents to really provide for their children, does it really matter if the parents are two guys or two gals?  A family centered around love is what is important and for those who want to say that the love shared by same-sex couples is any different then the love shared by straight couples, well you are just uninformed and quite frankly you are a dumb-ass.

My dear friends it's time to accept the fact that the Creator of the Universe did not make a mistake when the "Gays" were created.  The Creator did not make a mistake when those from the LGBT Community were created.  If in fact all of these people were a mistake, then what's to say that the straight community was not also a mistake.  Those who call Gay Couples an abomination are simply calling what God created an abomination.  One more thing and then I will get off my soapbox.  I hear all the time about the sanctity of marriage; how marriage is a covenant between Man and God.  OK, I will buy into this for a moment but if in fact marriage is so sacred then why is the divorce rate so freaking high in this country?  Why are there people who have been married three and four times the same ones who want to shame Same-Sex Couples?  If marriage is truly sacred how can you sit back and not cast judgment against anyone who has been married and divorced?  Hell you judge the Gays every day, maybe it is time to be fair and judge the divorcee as well.

Here's my main point:  love is love, and nothing will ever change that.  True love is the most cherished thing in the world, and no one has the right to cast dispersion on anyone who truly loves someone else.  I will marry the man I love, and if you don't want to accept that then you don't have to worry about attending my wedding nor my reception.  If on the other hand you want to accept the fact that love shared between two people is ordained by the Creator of the Universe and you can be happy about that love, then be my guest at our wedding.

I know this is very unusual for me to take on this topic, but I write what I'm told to write and maybe there was someone who just needed to hear my take on the subject.  Or maybe, I just needed to set it out there how I truly feel about the subject.  Either way, it's out there now and I hope you will still love me.  Love is so special and it's even more special when you share it with someone that is truly your soul-mate.  Don't allow prejudice or bigotry to spoil something that could change your life forever.