Equality for All

If you live in New York, you know that Marriage Equality is a hotly debated subject right now.  I was fortunate enough to interpret at the Pride Festival last week, and I received a Pride bracelet, which I intend to wear until Marriage Equality passes the New York Legislature.  It passed the Assembly last week...and looks to be one vote short at this point in the Senate, although it still has not come for a vote.  The Legislature session was supposed to end today, but apparently has been extended, so there is still a chance.

Many people have been posting on Facebook in favor of both sides.  I have engaged in conversation--I won't stoop to name-calling and avoid those  who do so--with people who are against Marriage Equality, trying to understand why anyone would deny rights to another human being.  Though I have asked the question over and over again, generally I am answered with biblical quotes or the standard "it is an undeniable truth that marriage is one man, one woman."  Even those who try to point out that marriage is for procreation suddenly fall silent when people point out that not all heterosexual couples choose to, or are capable of, have(ing) children.

I am really struggling to understand why people would be so against two people in love being married in a civil ceremony.  Shouldn't those who object on religious reasons be satisfied with exemptions for religious organizations?  Why are people so determined to oppress others?  There are those who claim that they do not hate the LGBT community, yet they still refuse to acknowledge the right of marriage.

I cannot understand how the legal union of two loving, consenting, taxpaying citizens can be such a threat to others.  My father-in-law used the sanctity of marriage argument with me, but when I pressed him to tell me how it would affect his 45+ year marriage, he really couldn't.  Why can't people just accept separation of church and state?  If churches don't want to sanction LGBT marriages, they don't have to.  Many churches won't sanction interdenominational marriages--how is this any different?

It really breaks my heart that this even needs to be brought to a vote.  Everyone should automatically have the same rights.  But we have always needed a vote to ensure the rights of "minority" groups, so here we go again.  It just seems like the right thing to do to me...I cannot understand why a loving God would want anyone to be oppressed.