With there being the possibility that the Supreme Court could make gay marriage legal across this country, the gay marriage debate has been running more rampant than ever. Over the past few days, I've read through a number of these debates, which have typically included at least one person saying something along these lines - "I have no problem with gays, but I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. Why are the so-called tolerant liberals getting on my case about that? It's my opinion. As an American, I have that right. It makes me laugh that you all call me a bigot, yet you won't accept my opinion as is. Who's the bigot now?"
What these very anti-gay marriage individuals seem to be missing is that most of us pro-gay marriage progressives aren't saying they don't have a right to their own opinion. If a person doesn't approve of homosexuality, while I may not agree with him/her, I'm not going to say he/she doesn't have a right to think or feel that way. That's not what this debate is about, though. This debate isn't about pro- and anti-gay marriage individuals' opinions. It's about equal rights. If a guy by the name of Charles Kent doesn't approve of homosexuality, while I may not agree with him on the topic, I'm not going to say his First Amendment rights should be stripped from him due to that difference of opinion. On the other hand, if Mr. Kent says that homosexuals shouldn't be given equal rights under the law, then I'm going to have a problem with that.
Let's break down the majority of pro- and anti-gay marriage individuals:
Pro-gay marriage individuals: Approve of gays, approve of gay marriage, approve of opponents' right to hold a differing opinion, doesn't approve of opponents being against equal rights and doing all they can to prevent those equal rights from being attained
Anti-gay marriage individuals: Disapprove of gays, disapprove of gay marriage, approve of opponents' right to hold a differing opinion, doesn't approve of opponents doing all they can to provide equal rights for gays
Like I said, this isn't about opinions regarding homosexuality, which I think many of these anti-gay marriage individuals mistakenly believe. It's about equality. It's about one group of people fighting for the equal treatment and protection of homosexuals and another group fighting to prevent homosexuals from receiving that equal treatment and protection under the law. If those intent on preventing homosexuals from receiving equal treatment and protection want to label those whom are fighting for the equal rights of homosexuals as bigots, then they may do so, as that's their right. However, in the process they'll look like bigger idiots than KKK members labeling African-Americans as racist, and will have to look in the mirror to see the epitome of that which they labeled others - a bigot.
What these very anti-gay marriage individuals seem to be missing is that most of us pro-gay marriage progressives aren't saying they don't have a right to their own opinion. If a person doesn't approve of homosexuality, while I may not agree with him/her, I'm not going to say he/she doesn't have a right to think or feel that way. That's not what this debate is about, though. This debate isn't about pro- and anti-gay marriage individuals' opinions. It's about equal rights. If a guy by the name of Charles Kent doesn't approve of homosexuality, while I may not agree with him on the topic, I'm not going to say his First Amendment rights should be stripped from him due to that difference of opinion. On the other hand, if Mr. Kent says that homosexuals shouldn't be given equal rights under the law, then I'm going to have a problem with that.
Let's break down the majority of pro- and anti-gay marriage individuals:
Pro-gay marriage individuals: Approve of gays, approve of gay marriage, approve of opponents' right to hold a differing opinion, doesn't approve of opponents being against equal rights and doing all they can to prevent those equal rights from being attained
Anti-gay marriage individuals: Disapprove of gays, disapprove of gay marriage, approve of opponents' right to hold a differing opinion, doesn't approve of opponents doing all they can to provide equal rights for gays
Like I said, this isn't about opinions regarding homosexuality, which I think many of these anti-gay marriage individuals mistakenly believe. It's about equality. It's about one group of people fighting for the equal treatment and protection of homosexuals and another group fighting to prevent homosexuals from receiving that equal treatment and protection under the law. If those intent on preventing homosexuals from receiving equal treatment and protection want to label those whom are fighting for the equal rights of homosexuals as bigots, then they may do so, as that's their right. However, in the process they'll look like bigger idiots than KKK members labeling African-Americans as racist, and will have to look in the mirror to see the epitome of that which they labeled others - a bigot.
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