I mentioned in a previous post that I recently got engaged to a wonderful woman whom I love very much. Since then, I've been thinking and talking weddings quite frequently, and it got me thinking about posting this post, which is something I've been meaning to do for quite some time.

Marriage isn't a right...for anyone. It doesn't matter if you're straight, gay, in a wheelchair, whatever. It simply isn't a right. I get so sick and tired of people on TV and radio and even in public (Facebook counts as public, right?) talking about "Gays have the right to be married!!111". No, no they don't.

As I've said before, I don't care about the gay marriage issue. It's a moot point for me. I'm not gay. But I don't care if they do get married (that awful, coma-inducing bumper sticker that says something to the effect "Gay people deserve to be as miserable as everyone else!" sort of rings true here, for me at least.)

Now that I've pissed you off, random internet reader, let me explain my stance:

First of all, lets deal with heterosexual marriage (and simply marriage in general). It's not a right for a few reasons:
1. First off, there is nothing in the US Constitution that says people have the right to be married. Not at all. Go ahead, take a sec to read it and get back to me.


Ok, now that you're back, let me say it again: Civil rights, by definition, are rights guaranteed in the constitution. Marriage is not mentioned in the constitution. Therefore, by the power of deduction, marriage is not a civil right. And it's not for obvious reasons. How would you like to be walking down the street and a crackhead homeless man who smells of roasted almonds and urine came up to you and asked you to marry him? First of all, I'd be concerned, because I like almonds. Second, I'd be reaching for my pepper spray.

Obviously (hopefully) you'd say "no". But let's think for a second: Isn't marriage a right for "everyone"? If that were the case, someone would have to marry this poor bastard. Hopefully, they'd be forced to do so against their will.

"But Ed," I hear you saying, "people have the right to choose! He couldn't just marry some random person! 'My right to hit you in the face ends with your right not to be harmed, etc.' "

Exactly my point. Even if you have a basic understanding of human rights, nobody should be forced to marry this random guy. Which completely deflates the argument against marriage as a "right".
Secondly, divorce would be illegal, because you'd be denying your spouse the right to be married. Hell, even rejecting someone’s marriage proposal could be classified as illegal and discriminatory. If it is a human right, it should be guaranteed to all people. But marriage cannot be a guaranteed right as society has not the power nor the authority to enforce such a guarantee. If that were the case, drug addicts, child molesters, murderers, rapists, and all other forms of social ill that deserve punishment in Dante's Inferno would have the "right" to be married.

Speaking of hellfire and brimstone, now we discuss the "right" of gay marriage. Again, I don't care if gay people get married. Let them do what they want. It's not the point I'm trying to argue, and it's not my place to say one way or the other. My point is that, by and large, people who are saying "marriage is a right" are homosexual. And it's simply not true. Plus, I have an issue with the homosexual movement hijacking the "Civil Rights" banner from the black community and their struggles from the past.

2. My second point is that I don't like the government interfering with my personal life. Nobody should. That being said, marriage should be handled however the bride and groom (or bride/bride or groom/groom) want it to be handled, be it religious ceremony or a visit to their local courthouse. If you're gay, and you love your partner, do you really need the government to tell you that your love is validated? If you do, you have issues.
Sure, married heterosexual couples get sweet-ass tax breaks (especially if they have kids), and gay couples who can't get married can't cash in. Which brings me to another thought: is this gay marriage issue really about "rights"? Sometimes, it's hard to tell.

"Well, Ed," you start to spout off again, "who should handle marriage?"

Easy: Churches and Ministers. The government shouldn't have the right to say who can and can't get married.

"But Ed," you lament, "churches consider homosexuality a sin! I can't marry my partner if the churches are in control!"

Well, you can't marry them now and you're doing just fine aren't you? Besides, you can always check in with an Episcopalian church and let them do it.

That's all for now. Feel free to be an idiot and call me a bigot in the comments.

Labels: common sense, gay marriage, social commentary