"Same Sex America"

Last night, Showtime premiered a documentary called Same Sex America, which chronicled the journey toward same-sex marriage in Massachusetts after the landmark ruling in November, 2003 by the state supreme court.

This documentary featured people on both sides of the issue -- REAL gays and lesbians with families who contemplated marriage, and finally took that giant leap. It also features those who oppose same-sex marriages, even those whose children are gays or lesbians.

One such young lady, attending a rally for same-sex marriage tells the camera/reporter that her parents are there, too...on the "other side." She loves her parents but the issue is so divisive as to tear families apart. A clip shows Dick Cheney being interviewed prior to the recent presidential election, seeming to support Dubya's call for an amendment banning same-sex marriage, yet at the same time proclaiming his love and support for his lesbian daughter. Politics or family? Tough choice to make.

Protestors with signs reading "Let the People Vote" gave me pause. If we allow THEM to vote on whether *I* can get married to my partner, shall we allow all citizens to vote on who else can and can't get married? Shall we negate the Supreme Court ruling Loving v. Virginia and put that concept to a vote via a constitutional amendment? Shall we vote on whether the mildly retarded or brain-injured should be allowed to marry and procreate? Shall we vote on prohibiting senior citizens from remarrying because it's clearly just a sham to defraud good taxpayers like ourselves out of more Social Security benefits?

One young man relates his father's opposition to his marriage, expressed to him just before his wedding. The young man says that his father indicates that he has an issue with same-sex marriage but can't express what the issue is or where it comes from. I believe that this truly represents the feelings of many who oppose same-sex marriage -- people, as a whole, don't adapt to change well. And, when you can't wrap your brain around the whole homosexuality concept, it's hard to accept that kind of change. I understand that but, where I draw the line at compassion or empathy is where they've drawn the line. They don't understand, yet they don't SEEK FURTHER UNDERSTANDING. They just go with their lack of understanding, embrace it, and accept THAT as reality.

And then there's the man holding a sign (which I couldn't determine it's message) who insists that (and I'm paraphrasing here) "you have to be sick to want to let a man marry a man." He clearly doesn't know why he opposes it, and it was evident that the *ICK* factor is what puts him on the side of the opponents of same-sex marriage.

One couple, in the original 7 couples that filed the lawsuit against the MA Dept. of Health, has been together for more than 30 years. They own a business together and one of them had some severe health problems. This was what drove them to seek recognition of their relationship, right now, and in preparation for their eventual demise. This story was reminiscent of the first segment of If These Walls Could Talk 2, where one partner died and the other was left with nothing but her grief.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If it bothers you to call it marriage, then call it purple crunchy peanut butter if you want, as long as I can pass OUR home on to my spouse after my death, without her having to incur a large tax burden. Let her make the decision to remove me from life support, or sign for a risky surgery that can potentially save my life. Let her live WITHOUT fear of ending up in the street because the loss of my income upon my death made her unable to support herself any more. I don't seek your approval or endorsement of my relationship with my partner. All I ask is that you stop attacking us, let us live in peace, with the same rights and responsibilities that you have. No more, no less.