The debate regarding homosexual issues has increased in the past few years. Many states are now determining whether to legalize same-sex marriage or not. In the past, I have tried not to speak on the topic, because it doesn’t directly affect me as a straight person. However, I find my patience has worn.
Growing up in a relatively small town, my run-ins with gay individuals were scarce. Since coming to this diverse campus, I have met many homosexual people, some of whom I now call close friends. Throughout the debates over legalizing same-sex marriage and offering equal rights to gay people, I have stood firm in believing the government, and people in general, have no right to deny any two people love and happiness. Love is one of life’s purest gifts, and to disrupt that in any way. It’s wrong.
I used to think my support of friends who are fighting to gain equal rights was enough until I read an unnerving guest column published in The Diamondback, “Marriage is a gift from God.”
Now before I go any further, I am sure the author is a nice guy who was just trying to get his opinion across. I believe in Jesus and I believe in God. I was raised in a Christian household, but I don’t understand how people can emphasize sections of the Bible to argue God is opposed to same-sex marriage. To rely on an old book to completely relate to modern life is downright stupid. I don’t care what people call it, but the bottom line is that how the country has been treating homosexuals throughout history is hateful and ignorant, and it blatantly disregards the basic human rights promised to everyone.
I have never quite understood how one side has opposed gay marriage from the start out of sheer ignorance. Pointing to the Bible to show marriage is between a man and a woman is a pretty weak argument considering society — even the most religious elements — go against segments of the Bible everyday; yet these religious fanatics don’t throw temper tantrums about that. Standing behind one’s religion is fine. What isn’t fine is using some sections of the book while selectively disregarding other sections — just to prove a point.
Then there is the argument gay people create an unsafe environment for children. Perhaps those against same-sex partners raising kids are truly concerned about safety, or maybe they just think homosexual people are less than human and unfit to love. Last time I checked, a good home consists of loving parents who create a positive and stable household for their children to grow up in. Being homosexual doesn’t lessen the likelihood of such an environment being created, and anything to the contrary is as a pathetic attempt of an argument as the rest.
Some people opposed to gay marriage aren’t bad, nor would I call them hateful. Others write “queer,” “faggot” and other demeaning terms because of their own insecurities and ignorance. Regardless of reason, denying human beings the right to marry the person they love is wrong, whether you are a staunch religious person or not.
In a world with so much hate already, why promote more? Perhaps we, as a nation, can’t fight all of the worlds’ terrorists at once or convince other countries to stop hating our country, but we as Americans can create a nation that is accepting of everyone regardless of race, religion and yes — sexual orientation. My hope is to see homosexuals enjoying the same rights as I have as a straight person — sooner rather than later.
Josh Birch is a senior communication and history major. He can be reached at birch@umdbk.com.
