This note is from a 23 year old nephew of a friend of mine. He just moved to San Francisco from Maine to allow him to find himself. He is gay and out and as you will see from this note, very outspoken. I reprint this here because it reminds me of myself when I was a lot younger. I believe youth can teach us a lot. In this case, I am reminded that I have grown accustomed to being bland (“balanced and fair”) about the issue of marriage rights for our gay population. Marriage must be allowed between ANY TWO HUMAN BEINGS WHO LOVE EACH OTHER AND ARE COMMITTED TO THAT LOVE FOR LIFE.

I want you to take a moment and listen to something very basic I don’t believe most people understand….

As I watched the debate last night the only thing both candidates agreed upon (except unconditional support of Israel, which of course is because otherwise they would have no financial backing for their campaigns) is an agreement on the definition of marriage being between a man and a women.

The core issue here is not gay rights, or the rights to see sick loved ones when in hospital, or be beneficiaries of marriage in a way most people understand. Marriage is an institution sanctioned by the government heterosexual people can enter into as an expression of commitment, love, and a common understanding excepted by society.

It has been shown through SUPREME COURT RULINGS separate is not equal. If you agree that a different water fountain for blacks, regardless if it still provides water to people, is a fair ruling than you won’t understand the issue. If you agree that separate schools for non-whites, even with the same books and materials, is a noble idea, than you miss the point. If you think we should again segregate buses and living spaces and create all together different institutions in society for each group of people then yes, gays should not get married. IF YOU ARE A BACKWARDS, MISINFORMED, IGNORANT PERSON who does not realize the way forward is for constant reevaluation of the standards in which we live and how we treat our neighbors, nurses, the teacher that teach our children, and our families, than you agree that a “union” or a “contract” is fair. How is separate but equal fair???

All I ask is when this topic is brought up, DON’T SAY “WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO IS THEIR BUSINESS”, DON’T BE PASSIVE ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ISSUE. THE RIGHT FOR HOMOSEXUALS TO MARRY IS THE SAME RIGHT AS NON-WHITES HAVE TO ATTEND PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, FOR THE BLACK KID IN THE HALLWAY TO SIP FROM THE WATER FOUNTAIN, AND FOR ALL OF YOU TO LIVE AS EQUALS IN A FAIR AND JUST SOCIETY.

If GOD is your reasoning, let him judge for himself on an individual basis, don’t force feed me your religion through public policy!

ITS SICKENING!

Thanks for reading, it means a lot.
Mark