SAME-SEX MARRIAGE   Gerry Dantone

In August 2003, President Bush and the Pope fired a one-two punch at gays by announcing officially their already assumed opposition to the possibility of allowing gays to marry.  The Pope called on Catholic politicians and others to do their religious duty while Bush announced his disturbance at the prospect.

With the campaign season now in full swing, Bush this year announced that he was now willing to support a Constitutional Amendment that would define marriage as that between a man and a woman only even though he legally would have no role to play in this process.   This contradicts a campaign statement where the President had said this matter should be left to the states.

Polls indicated that only a small portion of the electorate who favor gay marriage would decide their vote on this issue; a larger group who opposes gay marriage WOULD decide their vote on this basis!

The motivations are clear: Gays want marriage for the same reasons anyone else would want marriage.

On the other hand, the President, probably on the advice of his “brain,” Karl Rove, has determined that hurting gays is something that may help Bush in the election - so be it.

The voters who oppose gay marriage are bigots inspired primarily by their religious indoctrination.  The Pope's words have consequences.
Pretty simple actually…

This analysis is hard to refute.  Pointless arguments involving “states rights” and “sacred covenants” aside, the common good is served by allowing more couples access to the perceived advantages of marriage.  Since it is voluntary, the decision to seek marriage should be open to all who seek it based on an equally applied formula - any two persons should be allowed this status regardless of their sexual relationship, or even whether there is such a sexual relationship.

Churches and religions are unaffected by allowing same sex marriage.  Those churches that are against same sex marriage do not have to perform them, and those that are for them can continue, period.

Who is harmed by same-sex marriage?  Every explanation offered is incoherent or dishonest.  Pat Buchanan at least is honest about it: “Same sex marriage is an abomination before the Lord.”  A complete response to him would be, “Who cares what you claim disgusts your God concept.”  Who should care if 70% of Americans agreed about God's delicate sensibilities?  In this country we are not to legislate religious belief, only the common good.

Does the Religious Right prefer that same-sex couples NOT commit?  Does the Religious Right prefer that they be promiscuous?  Answer: Yes, so that the Religious Right can stereotype them, ostracize them, and compound their “sinfulness”!

Yet, how can gays be blamed for the current state of affairs where 50% of marriages end in divorce and where a Britney Spears can get married just because she wanted to do something “wild,” “see how it felt” and get an annulment the next day.   What amendment is being proposed to prevent this nonsense?

This is certainly a sad state of affairs where a President can actually suggest amending the Constitution to deny a specific class of non-criminal citizens the rights accorded to others.

What next?

Do not laugh when it is suggested that outlawing marriage for gays cannot be the end goal of this line of persecution.  If gay sex within marriage is enough to amend the constitution over, why isn't gay sex outside of marriage equally worthy of an amendment?   Isn't that even more immoral to religious extremists?

Why not move on to any form of sex that does not have the Papal or Presidential seal of approval, even between married heterosexuals?  Do not such sinful sex acts exist supposedly?  Aren't all such sinners going to hell as certainly as those who have homosexual sex?

Where will this all end?  By now, and knowing the situations in places such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and throughout history whenever religion made law, we know to where it leads - human misery.  The cure is pure separation of church and state and legislating laws for the purpose of the common good only.