by Ted Sherman

Created on: May 29, 2008   Last Updated: January 19, 2009

First of all, there's no such thing as gay marriage. There never was, nor will there ever be. Just because a gay celebrity says it's so doesn't make it right. And just because some politically-motivated judges or legislatures pass a law to make gay marriage legal, the oldest law in the universe supersedes it. The only real marriage is the biological one between a man and a woman. It evolved among mankind (and womankind) thousands of years ago to bring a continuous supply of new lives into the tribe, as well as assure children resulting from the marriage would be nurtured and protected. In the words of the old TV slogan: You can't fool Mother Nature!

In some societies, those who violate that natural law are dealt with brutally. They're sent to prison or executed. In America, until just a decade or so ago, gay people were treated with scorn, religious condemnation, legal oppression and other kinds of discrimination. Their lives, which usually necessitated "living the closet", were certainly not as free as those of straight people. However, as Americans gradually became more enlightened and tolerant, gays finally were accepted with all the rights of citizenship. Advocates for gay rights, both gay and straight, who brought that acceptance to America can be proud of their accomplishments of freeing an oppressed segment of our society.

If people of the same sex choose to live together today in America, their rights are protected by civil union laws. That provides them with all the legal rights of married couples, except in some states where marriage and, if necessary, divorce is prohibited. Civil unions are simply binding legal contracts drawn up by qualified attorneys, and signed by both parties. They're not much different from any business agreement which protects the assets and property of each participant. Just as marriage contracts are subject to laws and documented contracts, so are civil unions.

However, even with all the acceptance, the idea of legalizing gay marriage has some serious implications. Besides Mother Nature's blessing, marriage between a man and a woman has always been a stabilizing influence on society. For the past generation, that institution has been bombarded by damaging social trends in music, TV, movies, internet, lax standards at schools and colleges, divorce and a thousand other slings and arrows. By calling gay couplings marriage, the traditional family unit is hit with another blow it doesn't need.

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