My political rant for the week

When speaking about his support for a Constitutional ban on gay marriage, President Bush said the following:

"In our free society, people have the right to choose how they live their lives," Bush said. "And in a free society, decisions about such a fundamental social institution as marriage should be made by the people, not by the courts."

If understand him correctly, he's saying that we're so free to choose how to live our lives, that we should support the supposed majority's attempt to dictate how we get to live our lives.

Excuse me while I regurgitate my lunch.

Look, I'm a Republican. The money-donating kind, so please take a moment to listen, Mr. President. I'm a conservative guy who does my bit to support conservative politicians. But seriously, you want me to support the limitation of rights in an area where the government has no business interfering in the first place?

I know plenty of people are uncomfortable with the idea of gay marriage, or homosexuality in general. And I mean, I know them personally - hell, the overwhelming majority of people I am related to by blood or marriage fall into that category. Some criticize it because of their religious beliefs. Some just think it's ooky. And that's ok. You're well within your Constitutional rights to be all grossed out. But to contemplate the enactment of an amendment which would deny a portion of the population the same rights to enter into the partnership of love and dedication that you enjoy in marriage, just because it's "ooky" - that's simply beyond comprehension for me.

50 years ago, because of anti-miscegenation laws, it would have been illegal for me to marry my bride. And at the time, the same reasons were being given. That is was unnatural for members of two different races to consider marriage. That it was a religious affront. That it was just plain ooky. Thank God that no one thought that it was worth seeking a Constitutional amendment to ban it after those laws started being struck down by so-called 'activist courts.'

Look, if you're uncomfortable with gay marriage, that's fine - look away if you choose. And if God really does frown on it, then please leave it to Him to sort out. I'm sure He'd be capable of managing the issue without your help. But do not try and strip the rights of your neighbor away, and tell me that you're doing it for "the good of society" unless you want me to vomit on your shoes. This is not about you defending your marriage - if your marriage falls apart because Steve & Timothy down the street get married and honeymoon in Cabo, then your marriage has some serious problems on a whole different level.

You want to promote the sanctity of marriage? You want to honor the commitment of two people which builds a stable home, good family environment, not to mention a strong tax-base? Then you ought to get the hell out of the way of any two people who want to stand up in front of their friends and neighbors and publicly dedicate their lives to one another.

If marriage is supposed to be built on a foundation of love, then please don't try and set the "standards" for what qualifies based upon your hate.