by Lynette Alice

Created on: May 23, 2008

The California Supreme Court has finally given the go ahead on gay marriage and it is about time! For far too long the LGBT (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender) community has had their rights in concern to this issue usurped. The simple fact is equality is about equality in all aspects of life under the law, not just those a few people decided to pick and choose as right or wrong.

The arguments made against same sex marriages are the same ones that have been made against everything from giving women, blacks, and many other segments of society basic rights such as the ability to vote, own land, or even drink from a water fountain. Some people in less enlightened times argued these were inferior peoples not deserving basic equality because they were different, just as some are saying about homosexuals in regards to the issue of marriage.

You can find people everywhere that scream "No to same sex marriage" but are okay with the idea of same sex civil unions. They are okay with calling it a same sex domestic partnership. Anything but marriage. Semantics are a funny thing. Maybe we can fix this by saying there is no such thing as marriage anymore, every union of two people is now a domestic partnership and as such married straight folks have to give up tax advantages and legal basis for all the little fringes of marriage like assumed inheritance, medical coverage, and even the right for the spouse of an active duty military member to relocate with their spouse at government expense. Does that sound fair? It is what gay folks deal with just because until now the courts have denied this right based on archaic prejudices.

In general the only arguments people can make against same sex marriages is that they find it wrong on religious grounds or they just don't like the concept of it. Let's face it, homophobia is alive and well. Far too many are speaking out saying it will ruin their churches, that it is blasphemous, and that it is against god's will. The question is whose god? My god is all for it, if someone else's isn't should I then be punished for that? The fact is this does not effect anyones faith. If a particular church is against same sex marriages they don't have to conduct them! There is no provision under any law which forces a church to marry couples they feel are not living in accordance to their faiths belief system.

Ever hear of separation of church and state? The fact is the bible has nothing to do with California's state constitution and if it ever does

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