These were Facebook posts and comments started by one of my professors. I was nice enough to blur out peoples names and photos so they cannot be identified, sorry if the rest of the words are a bit blurry. 




And here is my response which I did post as a comment on this string of facebook discussion. 

First of all Person#1, I think its good that you are bringing up this discussion because discussion is the only way to work to end ignorance. I think it is problematic that my rights and the rights of other lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) individuals are allowed to be up for debate while other people's rights are not. Same sex marriage is not my number one priority because currently it is still LEGAL to discriminate against against LGBTQ people in housing and employment. And while discrimination based on race, ethnicity or sex may still happen it is ILLEGAL.  Also I would like to bring up the point that not too long ago interracial marriage was illegal, how would you feel differently if your rights were up on the chopping block?

Second, @Person#2, where do you see this definition of marriage as a male and a female? And I don't see your line of thought in comparing same-sex marriage to polygamy. Polygamy is not permitted for ANY people where as marriage between 2 people is a right given to only SOME people. 

@ Person#2 and Person#3. A little bit about the US government. It is written into the constitution (yes the constitution, that document that left wing conservatives are always so concerned about upholding) that the purpose of the Judicial branch is to evaluate whether laws (voted on by the people) match the constitution of either the US or the state. The overturning of Prop 8 is not our government and our country falling apart and going to hell, it is actually our government strictly following the guidelines that our founding fathers set up for us. 

@Person#4, we do not live in a theocracy, god is not a deciding factor in laws and legislation. However I do understand that this separation of church and state can be fairly confusing when talking about marriage because marriage actually means 2 different things. The word marriage refers to the legal license given to people to get married and guarantees them over 1100 rights, this is legal marriage. The word marriage is also used to describe what some people choose to do within a church for religious reasons of unity etc, this is religions marriage.  The government has no control or influence over religious marriage only over legal marriage. Therefore despite what legislation there is about same-sex marriage, the government could never dictate what the rules are within specific religions institutions. @Person#1, I think this wording confusion is what you are referring to when you talk about the union vs marriage. In many places in Europe no one can get married, same sex or opposite sex. Anyone who wants a legal marriage or union goes through the government and gets a civil union, then if someone wants a marriage they go to a church and have a ceremony or whatever that has no legal or governmental purpose or meaning. Thats how I think it should be over here. 

Overall I am disappointed to see such lack of awareness, education and familiarity in people who I assume to be college students. The lack of same sex marriage causes families to fall apart. Imagine this: 

-Your partner gets in a car accident, you try and go to see her in the hospital and they shut you out because you aren't legally married. your partner dies alone in a hospital room because there is no same-sex marriage. 

-You and your partner are breaking up, but because there is no legal marriage there is also no legal divorce, your partner is able to take all that they want, the house, the kids, the money, because there is no government or court regulating the break up. 

- Your partner dies, you and your children are devastated, but on top of that social services comes to remove your children because you are not legally their parent. Now your children have lost both of their parents because of the lack of rights.