A More Perfect Union

I could say that not allowing people who love each other to get married - that is undermining the institution of marriage! (source)

Thank you, Hank Green. Though he wasn't making a statement with this specifically, it was beautifully said, and I agree completely. I believe in equal rights, and not allowing a couple to get married because they happen to be the same sex is preposterous - as are the claims that allowing gay people to marry will lead to a slough of "unnatural" unions like people marrying their children, their pets, their inanimate objects. I don't understand where that connection comes from. The couples that want to get married consist of two consenting adults with the ability to understand and agree to the "institution" of marriage. No one is suggesting that Americans should be able to marry anyone or anything regardless of its ability to give consent. (Well, some people might be suggesting that, but they're not generally the kind of people that we as the public listen to.)

But really, like Hank said, it's the act of forbidding the marriage of two committed individuals that is truly going to undermine marriage. With this, people will start to realize that if that gay couple who's been together for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years or more can be happily committed without having a marriage license, they don't need one either. And boom, there goes the sanctity of marriage - because it's about the commitment, not the document.

The real problem with this is the rights that are denied to unmarried couples. They're excluded from visitations, from adoptions, from a massive range of activities that married heterosexual couples are allowed. I find this ridiculous. All a legal marriage does is put on paper that, yes, these two people are together and want to stay that way.

So come on, America. Stop throwing your little hissy fit. Realize that this country was founded on the separation of church and state, meaning that your religion should have exactly no impact on legislation. Realize that while the Constitution may not allow gay marriage, it didn't originally allow equal rights for women or African Americans either. Realize that this is blatant discrimination and that people are being hurt because of this, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Realize that you're dividing America and making us that much weaker. Realize that legalizing gay marriage won't hurt you or your family or your life in any way. Realize that you're just making Americans happy. And that's what makes a more perfect union.