How Will You Be Remembered?

I was listening to the radio yesterday and one of the guest speakers was talking about the “Chick-fil-a Appreciation Day” and Gay marriage in general.  They made an excellent point about the issue.  Morally, you can feel however you wish about it.  If you disagree with it, then that is your personal opinion.  But when it comes to the issue of the government, it becomes a civil rights issue.  The fact of the matter is that gays DO NOT have equal rights in the United States because of the legal benefits that come with marriage (See http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/marriage-rights-benefits-30190.html for a list of benefits).

In the history of the United States, people have used Biblical passages repeatedly to justify legislation that prevents equal rights to a particular group of citizens whether there was actually a legitimate scripture quote or not.  Back in the 1800’s slavery was justified by politicians through biblical verses, and later it was used by some to justify laws against interracial marriage. In 1958 when Virginia Judge Leon Bazile refused to hear the case of Loving v. Virginia and was quoted as saying of interracial marriage, “Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay, and red, and placed them on separate continents, and but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend the races to mix.”  There actually is no direct verse in the Bible but the story of the Curse of Ham was often used.  There are also verses in Ezekiel, Deuteronomy, Judges, and others that have been used for the same justification.

All of those issues have been overturned.  All races in the United States legally have equal rights, and and any man can marry any woman.  However, being born homosexual is apparently grounds for inequality in the United States.  So in this time, the fact of announcing opposition of gay marriage, I feel, is to say you are for the willing oppression and denial of civil rights to a specific group of United States Citizens.  Gays will have equal rights, and I will vote for them to have those rights.  And when that does happen, how will those who opposed it be remembered?

Ask yourself, how does history remember the likes of Strom Thurmond, Robert Byrd, Howard Smith, or Former Alabama Gov. George Wallace Jr?

To Melissa Carter, you are amazing, and every person needs to hear your voice. Listen, and be informed. http://bit.ly/Qzjk2d

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