Maine Voters Approve Discrimination

   During my time on this planet, I’ve learned that on most issues there are many points of view.  Often, there is more than one “right” answer…more than one way to believe; “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” as William Shakespeare tells us.
   The simple fact is…same-sex marriage is not truly a political issue.  It is a human issue about justice, equality, and ending discrimination against a minority group of American citizens.  This argument too often revolves around hate and fear, when it should revolve around love.  We spend – if we’re lucky – 70 or 80 years on this little ball of dust, and then we “shuffle off this mortal coil,” so why not try to be happy – and allow others to be happy – while we’re here?
   I ask opponents of same-sex marriage to consider a few more simple questions: Does denying the happiness of others make you any happier?  Can you really look at your face in the mirror every morning and say, “I denied another human being a little happiness…I feel good about myself for doing that?”  How does the marriage of two other people – no matter their genders – affect your marriage?  Does defeating same-sex marriage make your own marriage – or any other marriage – stronger?
   Look, no one is telling you that you have to be gay.  Nor is anyone saying that you have to like gay people or their lifestyle.  But, that doesn’t make gay people any less human than you are.  It doesn’t make them any less an American citizen than you are.  And it certainly doesn’t give you the right to discriminate against them.  They are not asking for special treatment or privileges, only for equality.  They want – and deserve – the same treatment and respect that every other American citizen receives, no more, no less.
   This issue is not important for gay Americans; it is important for all Americans – gay, straight, black, white, Democrat, Republican, believer, atheist, and everyone in between.  You must realize that once you deny equality to one person, or one group of people – once you see them or treat them as something less than you are – you make it that much easier to see everyone as something less than you are.  And, eventually, someone will do the same to you.  Someday they will come for your rights as well…and there will be no one left to speak out for you.