In response to...

K, here's the deal. Once upon a time my sister wrote a post on her blog about how she feels about marriage equality. That can be found here http://stillme-thejourney.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-i-came-to-support-marriage-equality.html This is how I feel on the subject. This is a response, but I think it properly states how I feel on the subject. It raises my concerns and responds to some of Jen's concerns.(My sister) "First off Jen, I know your opinion on the "sanctity of marriage" is that it's non existent, I get that. I don't believe that. I feel children SERIOUSLY need a male and female role model in their lives to become productive citizens. If they don't have both, it's a hurdle but not an impassable barrier. Homosexuals can most definitely be great role models for children. I know many that I love, respect, and admire. Divorce sucks, I frown on it in about 90% of the cases. You've asked me about that before in discussions about this. That's how I feel. Someone else's divorce is NEVER my call on whether or not the reasons were strong enough that this was better than working through them. Growing up in the church I never ever heard anything about interracial relationships. I've had to overcome racism in myself though, that's a fact. When I was in Hairspray I hard a time making friends with the black cast mates. They were different it was weird. That's more just the fact that I wasn't friends with any. It was strong enough that I was uncomfortable the few rehearsals I was in the minority. Now, loving homosexuals as themselves IS the right thing to do. That doesn't mean I feel I need to let them attack the sanctity of one of the holiest things on this earth. For me, marriage is ordained by God between a man and woman, why does a homosexual couple need that? Personally I feel that the government should not support it, but I don't feel right disallowing it either. The difficulty and battle here is that the government has institutionalized a religious and holy practice. I wish a compromise could be made where the homosexual couples can seek the recognition they deserve from their government entity, but that still doesn't mean that they have to be married. I would be offended if a homosexual couple asked to be married in an LDS chapel. It's not the appropriate place for it because I feel that is a place dedicated to God, that would be a defamation of marriage as ordained by Him. Now comes to MY big issue. Jen, the minority should not be limited by the majority, I believe that, but why should I sacrifice for them? My religion has fought long and hard for every little scrap of recognition they've received. I'll admit it much longer than it needed to because of how many mistakes it has made throughout its existence. The majority has made so many concessions to minorities that people like me are suffering for it now. I'm so incredibly average that life is much more difficult for me now than it would have been 20 years ago. In short, loving them as they are is a beautiful thing. They're human beings that have so much amazing potential to do good in this world. They have every right to live their life as they desire, but why do I have to give up something I hold as sacred as life? Is it not possible for them to receive the recognition they desire without assaulting my beliefs and what I stand for in my life? Is their lifestyle, whether chosen or not so much more important than one of my core values? I know I'm atypical(probably) but I personally feel that's the core of the issue. A minority that's screaming for its voice to be heard and rights to given and majority that is frightened and tired of letting go of something that is dear to them, frightened by if they let this go, where else will they turn? If they surrender now, will it stop? Will they continue to be assaulted until they're a minority with no rights at all? Hell, what if they're a minority with no rights at all? That's why I feel that homosexual couples should be denied marriage." Please respond with questions and feelings of your own. I want to know whether you think I'm smart or stupid. Crazy, racist, or whatever, but please respond with reason. Simple concurrence is appreciated or simple rejection is okay too. I would prefer to know why you think that way, but even more than that I want to know WHAT you think. Sincerely me, a simple adventurer on this grand adventure called life. Justin