Opposing gay marriage denies human equality
By Donnie Smith
I have been thinking for some time about the issues surrounding homosexuality and gay marriage.
It just fascinates me that we are talking about homosexuality today as if it’s an illness. I understand many people may have conservative views on this issue, and believe me, we have a few at Earlham College who are totally opposed to believing that someone could be born gay and not “normal” straight.
I remember the day I told my parents that I thought I liked men. It was September 12, 2009 at 9 a.m. I remember how Ben Smith ‘10 saw me on the porch of vegetarian house just sitting. It was a lifesaver that I got to see his face before I made the most life-changing phone call of my life. He just hugged me and told me everything would be okay and from hearing stories about my dad he knew he would love me no matter what.
When I called my dad, he was just about to go out to meet some friends, and I started to cry because I thought something like this would ruin his life, and at the same time I would lose my father’s love.
But I had been living my life for others for as long as I can remember, and it was time for me to live my life for me. He was happy that I felt comfortable to tell him who I was and in the end it was about my happiness.
I tell this story because we do have people at Earlham and as a whole society who feel that homosexuals should burn in Hell for living a life of sin. But I always thought God loved all of his children, and when judgment day comes, he judges me, not you.
Now, I’m a strong believer in equality for all, but I feel that people need to understand that we cannot make a human rights issue a religious issue. Yes, I said the words many people hate. But how is it fair and equal to allow heterosexuals the right to get married and deny a homosexual the right to marry and receive the same benefits?
When I was a child I remember having debates with people at the age of 13. I would always ask my parents and many others around me how they felt about gay marriage.
They felt mostly that if we allowed gay marriage than more issues and problems would arise in our society.
I just didn’t understand how we could be so upset about allowing gay marriage to exist when we have a person like Britney Spears in our society, who at the time got married in Las Vegas, and then after 55 hours of marriage, had it annulled. At the same time we have gay couples who have been together for 25 years and they are not allowed to get married because you and our society deny them that right.
I just want people to wake up and understand that if you are opposed to gay marriage, that is just sending the message that you are opposed to equality for all. When you deny someone a basic human right, you allow oppression to continue in our world.
I’m opposed to any form of oppression and I can no longer sit here and allow gay marriage to be on the back burner. Let’s no longer sit down and stand up for what’s right.
I can tell you that gay marriage is right.
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