Gays shouldn’t have to wait any longer

Dear Supreme Court,

You are currently considering two cases pertaining to an extremely important issue for our modern society—gay marriage. I would love it if you would listen to a few points before making your decision. I think they will make your job much easier.

First, let’s put the whole “marriage is for procreation” argument to rest.  As background, I have not heard your direct deliberations, and I also acknowledge that questions you ask should not be construed as opinions. You are Justices and, as such, I hope you are asking questions that explore this issue from a range of perspectives. Nevertheless, the "marriage is for procreation" argument has been put forth as a central tenant of those who oppose gay marriage, so let’s address it, dismiss it, and move on. As it turns out, I provide the perfect rebuttal to the argument. I plan to remarry sometime soon, and procreation is the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, I have had a vasectomy. Short of reversing it or retrieving sperm directly from their source, my days of procreation are over. Why on Earth would I want to get married if not to procreate? Great question! I want to get married to raise my kids in a stable home environment that is recognized by society and law as a family unit. Not surprisingly, many gay couples have this same motivation. Why should I be granted this right when they are denied it?

Second, let’s dismiss the traditional marriage argument. If this is the only justification left to deny gays the right to marry, as it seems to be, then it’s not much of an argument, is it? Wouldn’t the same argument justify any number of discriminatory practices in our society? Sadly, many of these (e.g., slavery, women’s suffrage) did not end until the Constitution was amended. Absent those amendments, though, I doubt a legal argument could justify slavery today on the grounds of tradition alone.

That leaves one last point, which was often raised in media reports yesterday—the timeliness of the decision. I will leave it to legal experts to determine legal standing based on procedure. However, much discussion surrounded the concern that we should not legalize gay marriage everywhere when it is such a new “experiment,” with a 5 year history compared to thousands for heterosexual marriage. I mean no disrespect, Justices, but you are missing the point. Gay relationships have existed for thousands of years as well. The issue here isn’t about some social experiment on the effects of same-sex relationships. It’s about legal recognition for relationships that have been with us throughout our history and that are just as much about healthy families as heterosexual ones. Gays shouldn’t have to wait any longer for equal rights.

Sincerely,

Josh

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