I couldn't say this better myself
"For those of you who voted yes on Prop 8 and Prop 102
Just for the record, I am a straight man. I have not been married, but I have also never had to fight for that right.
So let's consider for a moment that a gay couple is married in a state where gay marriage is legal. Let's say they've been happily married for 15 years, and they have 2 children. One of them is an engineer with a big firm, and they are told they are being transferred to a different state. That state does not support gay marriage. So now they're just not married anymore? You can just discount the 15 years they've been married? Suddenly their kids are now living in a house with unmarried parents? Their insurance has to change because they aren't given the right to cover their spouse or their own children? Not to mention their rights if one of them were hospitalized. Explain to me how that is okay.
If this type of law were being passed to deny black people, or disabled people, equal rights as married couples, there would be a huge outcry! It's blatant discrimination. If the governor of your state were gay, and tried to get legislation passed that marriage should be described as ONLY between same gender partners, you would be outraged. As would I. I would fight for your rights.
What about common-law marriage? Why is it okay for a couple who has never bothered to get married but has lived together for 10 years, to be considered married and have all of the protections and rights therin; and yet a gay couple, who committed themselves in a civil and church ceremony, are not?
Can you not see that what we are arguing over is semantics? Whether you call it "marriage" or "civil union" is not the issue. Call it whatever you want. This is about equal rights. Please heed these words:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 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." -- The Declaration of Independence
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. " -- Amendment XIV, Section 1, of the United States Constitution
Thank you for reading."
Stephen Brink
Just for the record, I am a straight man. I have not been married, but I have also never had to fight for that right.
So let's consider for a moment that a gay couple is married in a state where gay marriage is legal. Let's say they've been happily married for 15 years, and they have 2 children. One of them is an engineer with a big firm, and they are told they are being transferred to a different state. That state does not support gay marriage. So now they're just not married anymore? You can just discount the 15 years they've been married? Suddenly their kids are now living in a house with unmarried parents? Their insurance has to change because they aren't given the right to cover their spouse or their own children? Not to mention their rights if one of them were hospitalized. Explain to me how that is okay.
If this type of law were being passed to deny black people, or disabled people, equal rights as married couples, there would be a huge outcry! It's blatant discrimination. If the governor of your state were gay, and tried to get legislation passed that marriage should be described as ONLY between same gender partners, you would be outraged. As would I. I would fight for your rights.
What about common-law marriage? Why is it okay for a couple who has never bothered to get married but has lived together for 10 years, to be considered married and have all of the protections and rights therin; and yet a gay couple, who committed themselves in a civil and church ceremony, are not?
Can you not see that what we are arguing over is semantics? Whether you call it "marriage" or "civil union" is not the issue. Call it whatever you want. This is about equal rights. Please heed these words:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that 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." -- The Declaration of Independence
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. " -- Amendment XIV, Section 1, of the United States Constitution
Thank you for reading."
Stephen Brink