A long time ago I made the conscious decision to stop viewing the world in black and white and start seeing it in color. Open your mind and your world changes drastically. The decision was made to stop viewing people and things as their label and see them as people. To cast aside judgement and embrace people for who they are at the core. This is a warning to my conservative friends..... I am about to get up on my liberal soapbox and the view up here is amazing!
So if I recall, in 3rd grade we started to learn about our country. Our founding fathers, what they believed, and the inalienable rights they fought and died for; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. In very basic terms they fled England in the pursuit of freedom from taxation and religious persecution. So..... the taxation part didn't stick but freedom to practice their desired religion without fear of persecution has held it's own. I fully support every American's right to practice their religion of choice as long as it does not physically or mentally harm others or themselves. I even respect the right of individual religions to disagree with many social issues in today's society. As long as it is done in a respectful way. What I do not agree with is our government outlawing basic rights for some of it's citizens based on their sexual preference.
My mom said it best when she said "I believe in equality." I believe in equality and in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. " Rarely, if ever, will you hear me quote the Bible, but this verse rings so true to me. It's about love. If any human being is able to find the depth and purity of the love described above they should cling tight to it and never let go. That is the love that true and lasting marriages are built upon. Love doesn't see color, race, economic status, or sexuality. Love is the common thread that bonds all us. It is the great equalizer. Love is what defines us. Love has the ability to bring even the strongest of men and women to their knees. Love can be instantaneous, or slow to grow and develop. Love comes in different forms and presents itself in various ways, but what love is not is judgmental. It does not discriminate or alienate. It is not reserved for the rich, the young, the beautiful, or the heterosexuals of this world. Love is free and available to everyone.
As I stated earlier I believe in the individual rights of the church to agree or disagree with Same Sex Marriages. But as a human being, would you deny another human the ability to join in a loving, committed, and legal marriage? You don't have to agree with their union or support their lifestyle, but is it right of us to deny them the same rights Heterosexuals have? Is it right that we should stand in judgement and proclaim their union illegal? This is a group of people who's children attend the same school as ours. They coach our teams, decorate our homes, practice law, drive buses, pay taxes, and shop at the same stores we do. But we continue to deny them one fundamental and basic right.
As an American, a Human, and a Mom I vow to respect the individual beliefs of all humans and honor their opinions. I also promise to raise my daughter to respect individuality and embrace what makes her unique. But most importantly I will instill in her the importance of treating everyone as an equal. We are not defined by our class in life, our social status, the color of our skin, or our sexual preference. We are truly and simply defined by the way we treat each other (and animals).
