How far left is too left? How far right is too right? That is a question that American’s face every day. With the recent court battles at the local, state, and national levels, one has to consider the implications that being left and/or right has. On one hand, being left of center is being pro almost everything. Whereas being on the right almost always means to be con or conservative with everything.

So, how much is too much? Should we as GLBT people keep fighting the major battles for same-gender/sex marriage, or should we be settling for what we can get? Should we be fighting the small fights at the local and state level first before jumping into the deep end of the federal arena? Or should we just give up all together?

These are questions we all must ask ourselves and come to our own conclusions.

Let’s look at the right idea of gay marriage.

When we think of marriage, we think of two people in love who wish to make an outward expression of their inward feelings. We see the rights and benefits that are associated with these expressions. We see walking down the aisle to be welcomed by all our family and friends to be joined forever (hopefully) with the one we love. We think of the party we will have after the ceremony and the days of bliss as we attempt to join two households to become one. Eventually we might think of the American Dream where we own a house, have a dog, white picket fence out front, and 2.5 children.

When we think of the right and marriage, we are blasted with the images of “God Hates Fags”, “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve”, and so forth. We hear that gay marriage will ruin the sanctity of marriage. That gay marriage will ruin the family. Gay marriage will lead to bestiality, multi-person marriage, and so forth. The right is all about bashing the gay.

The real question to them is this: Since when did love between two people turn into love between 3, 4, or more? When did two people being in love turn into a man loving his goat? When did two people in love turn into marrying a corpse?

When? When the religious right took it upon their self to defile love at all costs. They speak about the sanctity of marriage and saving it, yet why is the divorce rate over 50%? They speak of protecting children, but how many children are in foster care and up for adoption, or left to die in a trash can? Hundreds of Thousands! So when they want to actually talk about the issue, then I will be ready to listen to them. Until then, we should ignore them and fight for what we think is right.

In the end, what truly matters? Love! And also whatever you wish to do. My philosophy is if it doesn’t injure or cause harm to another person, then it isn’t my business to dismiss.

Maybe the religious right should remember this, and consider carefully when decrying the ruining of the sanctity of anything.

Jase ;0)

Jason P. Ruel
BellaOnline's Gay Lesbian Editor