Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were legally wed in San Francisco yesterday. They were the first same-sex couple to be officially married in the United States… After having been together for over 50 years.
According to the article, that same day 15 more same-sex marriages were preformed and about a dozen marriage licenses were issued.
Before you are quick to criticize or, to wax philosophic about the decline of western civilization or, that the institution of marriage being destroyed… remember: In most of the country, many laws against interracial marriage existed until the 60’s and 70’s. In Alabama, it remained illegal until 2000 (!). Most states included provisions to forbid a white person from marrying outside their “race”, including asians.
Intolerance is just plain intolerance. Hide behind religion all you wish. What is wrong, in my opinion, is just wrong. Telling people with whom they can spend the rest of their lives with, is wrong and intolerant. However, in a country that is increasingly wrong and demonstrates less and less tolerance every day… don’t expect change to come quickly. At least we aren’t lynching same-sex couples…. or, are we?
Naturally, I’m not forgetting the most important aspect of the argument against same-sex marriage. According to the religious right, marriage, as an institution precludes and predates man-made laws such as those in the constitution and in states laws. Marriage is a divine right provided by God for mankind to procreate But, remember, this is the same god that allowed Abraham (2 wives), Jacob (3 wives), David (at least 7 wives) and Solomon (700 wives) just to name a few, to practice polygamy?
Damn, these things just are never quite cut and dried, are they?