Back in July, President Bush commented to news reporters, “I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, and I think we ought to codify that one way or another.” What has ensued from those comments is a federal amendment being proposed to deny rights given some but not others.
"Gay marriage” is being fought in the political and civil arenas to provide the same protections, rights and, yes, obligations to couples who happen to be of the same sex as exist for couples of the opposite sex. It has been argued that these same rights can be obtained through court document. This is true, but the costs and time involved are high. However, for $30, any straight couple can walk into a Texas courthouse and “get hitched” a few days later — benefiting immediately from more than 1,000 perks through one document.
What is being asked for is the basic decency to be treated fairly. We are calling for civil marriage, the legal binding of two persons into a contract, not sacramented marriage in the eyes of the church. I respect, even defend, the right to believe in one’s own beliefs in regard to religious, sanctified marriage. If a discussion on the “sanctity of marriage” were what is desired at this time though, then we as a society would have to seriously look at some issues such as domestic violence, education, minimum wage laws, health care and the protection of the “family unit” in many ways.
It has been found that according to Census bureau statistics 99.6 percent of the counties in the United States have same-sex households. We are a people guilty of one thing: love. We are a people who can vote together in ways that will change the face of this nation.
Katy Dawn Stewart,
Bryan
