Every year in middle school, we had to write a speech and then present it to the class. It had to be at least five minutes, and about an assigned “thing.” For instance, in the sixth grade we had to teach everyone how to do something, in the seventh grade we had to pretend to be a famous person, and in the eighth grade we had to write a persuasive speech. Then we had to recite the speech to our English class, and one student from each English class was chosen to read their speech to the entire eighth grade in the auditorium. Then, a winner was chosen by some faculty members, and that person went on to read their speech to the superintendent or something.
I was picked every year to read my speech to the entire grade. In sixth grade, I wrote about how to babysit, in the seventh grade I pretended to be Nellie Bly, and in the eighth grade, I decided to get political.
I wrote about why gay marriage should be legal.
Before I presented it to the entire grade, my English teacher approached me and asked me if I knew what the repercussions of this could be. That students might not respond as well as my classmates had. That kids might be mean to me because I was stirring the bottom of the pot. I said of course, but I didn’t care because I knew in my heart that I was right.
So I got up in front of about 200 other eighth graders and told them why gay marriage should be legal. I told them that it was morally wrong to be “morally opposed” to same sex marriage. I gave examples of stupid straight people getting married for only two days. I told them that using the Bible to say what is law and what isn’t law is against American values.
Oh boy, did I give it to them. And at the end of my speech, everyone clapped, hooted, whatever. After that I had rumors follow me until high school that I was a lesbian. But I didn’t care- because they got to hear what I thought about a hotbed topic. I may have changed some of my peers opinions on same sex marriage. It felt cool.
That was 2004.
Today it’s 2013 and the Supreme Court is just meeting this week to discuss the constitutionality of same sex marriage. Like, what? I can’t believe I am having the same conversation I had in the eighth grade as a senior in college.
Come on, people.
Even though majority of people are in support of gay marriage, only 58% of Americans are in support. This is America! The land of life, liberty, and the pursuit. Yet here we are, denying our fellow Americans the right to be recognized as a married couple in the eyes of the law. What are we doing?
So what is the Supreme Court going to say? I don’t know. I mean, as of 1996 marriage was recognized under DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) by the Supreme Court as a union between a “man and a woman.” But, no where in the actual, literal, hard copy of the Constitution does it say anything about the definition of marriage. Instead, Elastic Clause (aka the Necessary and Proper Clause) leaves the definition of marriage, and the entire institution of marriage to the State. Essentially, marriage is this federal gray area- the right is left up to individual states.
Some people may think that allowing same-sex marriage would mean an infringement of state rights… which it is, sure. But guess what else was also a right left up to the state? Segregation. Slavery. Suffrage. Even currency.
All of these things have been declared to be unconstitutional, or a right that needs to be regulated by the Federal Government (like currency). And for all of that religious justification out there- America is a nation that was founded on religious freedom! Sure, it’s a “Christian nation,” according to some but let’s get real- the First Amendment allows for freedom of speech, religion, and all of that good stuff… as long as it does not inhibit the rights of others. So c’mon. Let’s stop infringing on the rights of our goddamn American brethren and let them marry, for godssake. Plus- no one is asking to be recognized as married in the eyes of god. That’s a personal matter. All we’re asking is for everyone to be seen as equal, as a couple, under law.
So can we please stop having this conversation and just let our freaking fellow Americans get married, please? I would really like to go to my BFF’s wedding, and be a cool aunt to his adopted Asian babies. Okay?