Barrett Garese

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gimmick:adeandabet:

John Stewart articulates the argument for gay marriage better than I’ve seen it done before in one sitting. (…more)

I say it in nearly every argument and I’ve never gotten a response: “Please name one valid nonreligious argument against gay marriage. If you cannot, then it’s constitutionaly invalid.”

Civilization progresses and “Marriage” as an institution has been “redefined” dozens of times. Remember asking your parents how they could sit by and do nothing about segregation and racism? Better have a good answer because years from now your kids will ask the same of you.

I have to give a persuasion speech for a class soon, and I’ve been thinking about using this as the topic. Unfortunately, the class is in a Jewish university, and I’m a little worried about the response. How do you say to a group of people who hold that the Bible laws should be universally accepted that they are doing the wrong thing by denying people their rights. I had an earlier conversation with my brother-in-law relating to the pro-life stance of Palin as opposed to the pro-life stance of Biden, who although he believes life begins at conception, would not vote to ban abortions because he would not impose his personal religious views upon others.

And that is really what we are dealing with. There are people who do not want marriage to include gay people. This is generally because of hate, or at least intolerance. They are the religious right and in their eyes, homosexuality is a sin, and obviously a blasphemous choice. These thoughts are deep-seeded and powerful, but misguided. But as wrong as they are, they are allowed to think this way. They are even allowed to say it in most cases. People can have whatever views they want. But to take these opinions, based on religious prejudice and withhold rights from others, that goes too far.

All this talk about “redefining” is all dancing around the issue: These people don’t want gays to “dirty up” their idea of marriage. Never mind that over 50% of marriages, and we’re talking about the clean kind here, end in divorce. Once we take out the “til death do us part” aren’t we already redefining? The people that will actually admit that they just don’t like gay people, well they are the most honest of all.

So now, back to my speech. I’m worried that saying this to a group of religious Jews won’t go well. I would never be able to persuade them that homosexuality is not a sin. They just won’t believe that. But maybe I can convince them that when they make a decision that will affect others, when they hold the future of people’s lives in their hands, that maybe they should leave their prejudices at the door.

“How do you say to a group of people who hold that the Bible laws should be universally accepted that they are doing the wrong thing by denying people their rights.”

I would ask how they would feel if Christian law was the only law, and they were forced to abide by it. Or Muslim Sharia law. Then I would say nothing to allow them to think about it for a bit. And then I’d point out that perhaps national laws and millenia-old religious customs should be kept separate.

Then I would sit down because there’s very little left to say at that point.

Source: adeandabet