I really needa post here more often...

A friend of mine sent me a li'l survey thing on Facebook to vote on Same Sex Marriage. The vote I made was an easy choice, because I do believe that everyone is equal and deserving of the same rights and privileges as everyone else.

Most Americans profess this same belief...it is one of the things we take such pride in as a nation. That said, there are too many times when , due to an even deeper seated set of beliefs, that in this Land of the Free, Home of the Brave, that some folks get to thinkin' that some of us are a little more "equal" than others...

...and the basis of this is generally rooted in faith based organized religion. Now, before Y'all bust out your assault weapons and start lookin' up my address, let me first say that I do believe that this universe we live in was "poofed" into existence be a Devine Creator. Whether the Creator did a Big Bang, or slowly made each li'l thing individually, I don't know....and in truth, neither does anyone else on this planet. My problem is not with faith in a Devine Entity, but is with organized religion. I think that any religion that teaches that it is the only "true" faith is dead wrong...I believe the Creator is far bigger than one religion...which in turn, if you read the Constitution of The United States, it does not endorse any one religion over another.

I am a political independent. I am a Constitutionist. I believe that in today's United States, every citizen is guaranteed the same rights and privileges under law. If some one's church thinks same sex marriage is wrong, so be it. Don't perform, or even recognize it within the church. That's the right of the church. But, we're not talking about any church or religious belief, we're talking about the law of the land...the governance of the country. And yes, there is a difference...a big one. I have no legal right to force my religious beliefs on any other citizen...and by the same token, no citizen of the United States has the right to force their religious beliefs on anyone else, either.

This is The United States of America, and thank the Creator, we, as a nation have evolved somewhat past the belief that the rights and privileges of being a citizen were restricted to white male land owners...that's called progress.

So, do same sex partners have the right to be married? According to the Constitution, yes. Does your church have to recognize that marriage? No. Do you have to recognize that marriage? Within your faith, no...within the legal boundaries of our country, yes. Just like I have to recognize your marriage within the scope of legalities. But there is nothing that says I have to recognize your marriage, either, according to my faith.

Just sayin'...