The title you may or may not see above is taken from a relatively recent film of Barry Levinson, starring Robin Williams. This film is entitled "Man of the Year" and narrates the tale of a satirical nightly news anchor that miraculously becomes President of the USA. But that is not relevant at this point. What Robin Williams' character says at a presidential debate is, however, relevant: "You want an amendment against same sex marriage? Anyone who's ever been married knows it's always the same sex!"
And while this quip may or may not make you laugh, it made me think. As I walked out of the cinema that evening, I found myself pondering this question again and again in my head. It is funny how a joke can make you think. And think hard. Why is it that same-sex couples are not allowed the right to marry? I speak solely of civil marriage, carried out in a city hall or municipal building of some sort. To be honest, I find it ridiculous that two adults should not be allowed to make their own decisions in life. Someone may say that if two people of the same sex wanted to get married, they don't necessarily need a certificate or any of that official bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo. And yet they do. Perhaps it may seem only a matter of principle. Yet do they, as a married couple, not deserve the same rights as any other married couple? These rights may regard the filing of taxes, the name on a lease or even the validity of a will. It's more than a simple matter of principle. It is a complicated matter of principle.
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3 comments:
The blog that you posted was interesting to read. You make a good point on gay marriage but for me, i am against Gay marriage. For the traditional and religious beliefs that have been enforced by my family members i feel that marriage is sacred thing that should be shared between a man and woman. It will be interesting to follow up on your research about gay marriage.
The comment left above stresses your point exactly patrick. The idea that people against gay marriage act upon principle. In my eyes, the main thing stopping people from supporting gay marriage are their morals and religious beliefs. When i walk through the pit there are the men preaching and one day i saw on the back of a guys shirt that quoted the Bible. The quote was "all homos go to hell". People live their life by the Bible will no doubt be influenced by this. Thorughout this blog, are you going to just talk about principle or will there be other aspects to bring in??
In response:
I think the second comment touched on the point I feel is of uttermost importance: that people disregard the modern issue and proceed to fall back on their own values. "I was against gay marriage until I realized I didn't have to get one" - James Carville. I feel that you gain nothing, you lose nothing... yet two people you will never know will not be allowed to live together as your parents did. Maybe it is just me, but this strikes me as... bizarre. Now don't get me wrong, I have much respect for beliefs that are not my own. And I know I may be preaching in the desert, but I try.
-Pat
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