Some of you may have heard. The California State Supreme Court has made history today: marriage of same sex couples is officially legal. Celebrations continue throughout various parts of California, and especially Castro district in the Bay Area. It has been a long and hard battle. And many, many other states and districts throughout the U.S. will be toiling equally long and hard to win back these rights that have been stripped away from them.
I can understand that the religious conservatives will find difficulty accepting this decision. But I understand the grounds on which their arguments are founded. What I find perplexing is why non-religious groups have any issue with legalizing same-sex marriage. This is also a fundamental civil right, is it not? Our religious views aside -- for they are complex and diverse indeed -- what right do we have to limit marriage to heterosexuals?
As an ally, I have been a poor one. As long as I can remember, I have not done enough; have not spoken out or taken a firm stand enough -- choosing instead to relinquish this responsibility to others, those for whom same-sex marriage is an important, and formerly denied, right. I have been distracted, busied, plied with other issues that affect me much more immediately. Forgetting the fact that I have many, many friends who are in committed same-sex relationships, I am appalled at my apparent indifference to their plights. Thank you to the Supreme Court for saying yes. Thank you to the Justices for saying what I have not said before in support of my friends.
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