Reasoning Reason

So there's another Civil Rights Movement in town...in the form of the Civil Marriage Movement. I can understand, although I don't agree with, the opinion that homosexual people should not be allowed to be married. However, what justifies denying gay couples the financial, health-care related, property related, etc. that married couples have? Having been in Barcelona, Spain when gay marriage became legal a few years ago, witnessing first-hand the happiness of people being allowed to acknowledge only their natural desires, I am pro-gay rights and truly believe that in 50 years "gay rights" will be the present-day equivalent to "African-American rights."

I have had this opinion since the trip to Spain two summers ago, however. What I have discovered recently is how not a single presidential candidate in the 2008 USA election is pro-gay marriage. Some candidates say they will not ban gay rights, but none of them dare to enact anything to give gay people more rights. I realize that taking such a stand could severely effect his/her candidacy and probably take away a significant number of votes. When people have asked me about my opinions about gay rights, I always said the same thing: "I'm 100% pro-gay marriage unless it affects me personally."

"Affects me personally." I don't say that anymore. By affect me personally I merely meant that I don't want any man to approach me in any way other than as a friend--it's that simple. And yet I realize that "affects me personally" is not the proper term. Legalizing gay marriage would make a noticeable impact on the lives of every American...personally. Not that personally, but personally nonetheless. Therefore, I now say "I'm 100% pro-gay marriage" because I cannot stand to fuel the misconceptions of civil unions