Frustrated

I've received some comments in response to my post "Obama's victory, gay marriage ban" and I'm wondering how to positively express my opinions without delegitimizing others' oppinions and perspective. Initially I didn't want to write much on this topic as to avoid problems, but I've come to the conclusion that if I don't, I would be doing injustice to myself. I've always been passive about issues that could lead to conflict because I try to avoid conflict, even if it was going to make it worse for myself. But that is doing injustice. I have the freedom to express myself, so why am I not expressing myself? So, with this post, I know that I will touch an an extremely sensitive topic. I appologize in advance, knowing that there is a difference in oppinions. That, I respect. However, when you comment, I would appreciate it if you gave it some thought. I appreciate constructive comments.

To start, the best way to simply express how I feel about this issue on gay marriage is to say that I am frustrated. For a country that has made so much progress, it is so backwards. The progress is once more confirmed by the victory of the first African-American president. The backwardness is marked by the ban of gay marriages. America is supposed to be a place where everyone receives equal rights and where people should have the freedom to express themselves, provided that they don't cause harm on others' rights. However, it is not equal at all! Banning gay marriages is nothing but a filter used to discriminate against a specific group of people. Making marriage a luxury enjoyed by only heterosexual couples is creating a new form of segregation. In a nation that has evolved so much, one that has accepted so much, I am surprised that there are so many people not willing to accept a difference in lifestyle and move on. Especially in this era, there are many types of people who lead a variety of lifestyles. These lifestyles provide the person with their own sense of freedom and comfort, provided that it does not negatively affect on anothers' life. In response to the arguement that marriage is something sacred and only for a man and woman couple, I'd like to say that same sex marriage is not in anyway prohibiting opposite sex marriages. So why must people fight so hard for something that is not endangered? Not only that, but the marriages of already married homosexual couples are nulled. I think that is not much different than taking rights away by force after it's been given. I've previously used the example of giving freedom to slaves and then taking that freedom away later, but some people misunderstood my intentions. So now I will try to clarify. The act of nulling a marriage that is done and approved without the parties' consent is, like taking freedom away from slaves after they have been granted their rightful freedom. Although these scenarios are different, and radical scenarios at that, but in both scenarios, something is being given, only to be taken away later. Marriage should not be limited to marriage between a man and woman, or seen as woman and woman, or man and man marriage, but as a normal couple who strongly love each other.

This is an intense and ongoing battle, and it will not ease up unless people accept reality. I don't find acceptance for this difficult at all. Homosexuals have the same rights and freedoms, and are under the same law as other citizens. So, they should not be singled out for the topic of marriage.