What are your thoughts on Gay Marriage?

So tell me what your thoughts are on Gay Marriage? Because this morning when I opened up the paper it appeared to me that the President had weighed in finally on this subject.  This is a debate and an issue that has been bouncing around for years.  Every party skating the issue or just giving lip service when appropriate and today's announcement seems to be doing exactly the same.  The statement was issued by the President the day before he was supposed to meet with the wealthy, outspoken activists of Hollywood.  A political fundraiser that became an open lottery for two lucky individuals to attend and spend an evening with the President at George Clooney's house.  Anyone who wanted to attend could go online and donate 3 dollars to the presidental re-election campaign and would automatically be entered in the drawing.  Now, this was a clever marketing ploy and for two very lucky individuals they will get to go.  The money from everyone else will be put in the re-election fund of the president.

My friend and fellow writer posted in his blog this evening "I Thank Barack Obama for Nothing". His views are that this was a politically motivated response to North Carolina re-affirming the stance that marriage is only between a man and a woman.  I honestly believe it is a much simpler reason why Barack Obama came out in support of gay marriage.  You see the dinner that I spoke about is estimated at raising $15 million dollars for his re-election, and knowing that he was going to be having dinner with the U.S. 's most outspoken and influential activists he took his stance this would ensure that his campaign and the democratic party would get the money.

Now, the reason why I am bringing all this up is because I really am not interested in the politics of this issue, I am more interested in the human aspects of the issue and how it directly affects me and the ones I love.  I am gay no big stretch there, but what you might not know is that I am fighting for my life.  Just this past October I found out that not only do I have Leukemia and Cancer, I also have end stage renal disease, radiation enteritis and hepatitis c on top of also being HIV +.  By and large having 6 terminal illnesses makes me wonder what would happen if I was in a relationship and not protected with the right to marry.  You see been there and done that and I was only sick with 2 illnesses at the time.  Now with my imminent demise hanging over my head I would love to see the right of each individual to enter into the institution of marriage.  The reason why I say this is because without the protection afforded by marriage, my partner, if I had one, would be denied the ability to be with me through the hospitalizations and other courses of treatment I have to go through because he is not considered immediate family.  Therefore, I would have to face this alone and if I were to die, my partner would be denied the most basic rights regarding decisions to burial, life support, and life insurance, mortgage and other things that married couples have and are protected with.  Health insurance, survivor benefits and other things would be available to me and my partner if there were gay marriages.  I am not sure why the government thinks that only a man and a woman should be provided with these benefits and protections.

It is my opinion that everyone should have the right to choose for themselves.  Further, I am a firm believer that since the constitution states that there needs to be a separation between the church and the state.  However, why is the right wing, ultra-conservatives and the fundamentalist church trying to interpose themselves in the daily business of the people when marriage is a license a form of contract between two adults.  Understand that a license is just another word for permit, which means that the government permits and recognizes that two individuals are now one entity.  Each state recognizes many different forms of unions, Corporations, Partnerships, Marriages, etc.  so why should a union between a gay couple not be recognized:?   Is not a marriage another name for a union? The joining of two consenting individuals in a formal partnership or agreement to raise a family own property, and hold assets together. Corporations once they file their corporate paperwork with the Secretary of the State become a single entity that is capable of owning assets, property, cars, and can build and develop whatever they want under a common name.  A marriage is the same thing, it takes two individuals and combines them and makes them a single entity in the eyes of the government and every other business in America.  A marriage, in the current sense, allows a man and a woman to buy property, have insurance together, raise a family, purchase cars, have children and many other benefits many of which are not available to same sex couples.

I hope that those of you who read this posting will look at my statements and understand that I am not trying to make a political statement I am trying to make an emotional appeal to the common decency of human kindness and rational thought.  I may not be able to see resolution to this issue, but I am wanting to ensure that those who I leave behind in this life will have the right to choice and decide their own fate.  Not having to listen to the whims and dictates of society and the government who allows religion to steer and dictate their course of action.  Remember always that this country was founded on the premise that each individual would have the freedom of choice, in religion, in belief and in life.  Our constitution was written to ensure that there was definite separation between the branches of the government and the separation between the church and the state.  Thus, our country would not ever have to chance to fall under a dictator or religious zealot.  It is my firm belief that our forefathers, and the founders of this Nation understood these things and took as many precautions as they could when they drafted the Constitution.  With the adding of the bill of rights our personal liberties and freedoms were clearly defined.  Abraham Lincoln affirmed this in his Gettysburg Address stating that "All men in this nation were created equal".  This has been the tenets of democracy and the foundation of our continuing military campaign of "Enduring Freedom".  Our troops are out there fighting for the freedom of other nations, but they are the embodiment of what we all hold dear here in America, Freedom and the right to choice.

So now that you have read this what do you really think about Gay Marriage?

As always I am looking forward to hearing your feedback and your opinions.  I want to hear from you and would love for you to support my blog.  Become a follower and let me know your stance on these issues and many more that are out there.  If you have a topic you would like to discuss let me know.  You can check out my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bryan.zepp2 or you can email me bryanzepp@gmail.com

All My hopes,
B

Check out Greg Kelley on his blog soswirl.blogspot.com or you can see his work on the examiner exm.nr/gregorykelley