Nov. 4 was a historic night. But while votes for President-elect Barack Obama were being counted, another monumental decision was slightly overlooked in California. On that memorable night, 52 percent of Californian’s decided that egg-laying hens and calves raised for veal should have more rights, and homosexual couples should have fewer. Similar propositions banning gay marriage in Arizona and Florida also passed at 56 percent and 62 percent, respectively.
The priorities here seem a bit skewed. I’m glad that the hen providing me with my breakfast staple has enough room to turn around now, but what about the happiness of millions of Americans?
I can understand why people are against gay marriage. I am a Christian, so I don’t personally agree with gay marriage on a moral ground. But since this is my personal view, it only affects my personal actions. It isn’t the government’s responsibility to turn America into a Christian stronghold. The mission of the government is to protect the lives and rights of its citizens.
Gay marriage does not quash the rights of America’s straight citizens. It doesn’t put their lives in danger. In fact, if gay marriage were allowed, I don’t think any person in this country would even notice a difference in his or her daily life.
According to the Web site protectmarriage.com, gay marriage hurts America because it hurts our children. “Because public schools are already required to teach the role of marriage in society as part of the curriculum, schools will now be required to teach students that gay marriage is the same as traditional marriage, starting with kindergarteners. By saying that a marriage is between ‘any two persons’ rather than between a man and a woman, the Court decision has opened the door to any kind of ‘marriage.’ This undermines the value of marriage altogether at a time when we should be restoring marriage, not undermining it.”
I don’t think the passing of this bill would require schools to teach lesson plans about the wonders of homosexual love. If a child is swayed by the line “any two persons,” then there are deeper issues to deal with. And the idea of restoring marriage? With divorce rates approaching 60 percent, straight couples aren’t really doing a great job keeping marriage sacred.
Marriage is an important part of the Christian religion, and as such, Christian couples should consider it a sacred commitment. Christian parents should teach ideas of marriage as they want their children to understand it, and young Christians should seek the traditional man plus woman marriage to create that hallowed bond.
But our government isn’t a “Christian” government. It is an American government. As an organization that seeks to protect the rights of all its citizens, our government should not forget about homosexual couples. They deserve the right to happiness in every way that I do, and until gay marriage intrudes on and takes away the rights of others, then it is a right they should have.
As it stands now, Californians, Arizonians and Floridians have voted to ban gay marriage. That is a product of our democratic government and should be respected. However, the next time voting rolls around, I hope people understand that while chicken rights are important, people rights are much more so.
Stonecipher is an English and history senior.
Would gay marriage prevent straight couples from marrying? NO
Would gay marriage encourage more divorces among traditional marriages? NO