Toss the Bouquets-

Gay Marriage.

It's a controversial subject and one that I feel very strongly about. 

Let this be clear-I am completely in favor of it.  

I also have a great deal of trouble understanding why people are so opposed to it.  Don't get me wrong, I haven't been hiding under a rock.  I understand that many people argue that marriage is a religious union, one that is bound together by God.  

Let this be clear.  It is not.  SOME may choose to have their marriage performed in a church of their choice, but if it was solely about religion, then atheists couldn't be married.  

If it is about procreation, then any woman who no longer menstruates or suffers from infertility in some way, well then she couldn't be married either.  

Marriage is a legal binding contract.  A contract that two people enter and agree on specific terms and conditions-the vows are gravy and make it look nice.  

Divorce is handled through the courts, not the local pastor.

Bottom Line: Gay marriage is a matter of equality.  Separate but equal doesn't fly.  

For those of you who argue that gay marriage is wrong in the eyes of God, well isn't that up to God to decide - that is if God exists.  And doesn't being Christian mean loving one another the way that Jesus did?  Walking the walk-not just stepping onto your soapbox and shouting out all of the reasons why others are sinning.  How about you look into your own closet before you start cleaning out someone else's.  

This issue is important to me for many reasons but the most important is because of my sweet little sister who is amazing and wonderful and happens to be gay.  

She deserves to share the same joy and happiness that marriage brings just as much as any heterosexual person.  So does ANY gay or lesbian couple.  Good loving people deserve to celebrate their love as much as the rest of us.  

The only real reason I can find behind all of uproar and outrage is fear.  Well fear and ignorance.  Wake up straight people, the LGBT community is not interested in having you switch teams.  They know who's up to bat and who's just interested in watching the game...

In what way does it really affect you?  

This question is huge and the answers are complicated for some.  I, for one, find it quite simple but then again I just happen to believe that EVERY SINGLE PERSON deserves the same rights under the constitution of these great United States.  Isn't that why we live here; to enjoy freedom and equality?  

A hot topic indeed but I occasionally feel the need to use this platform to share my own personal political beliefs, possibly risking losing some followers, maybe even some friends.  But I think it's important to stand up for what you believe in and I am willing to take that risk.  

If you don't happen to agree with my opinion, that's ok too.  However, I urge you to consider this: Some day, that is if it hasn't happened already, someone very close to you, maybe your own child, might come out and how will you react?  Will you turn them away, be ashamed and embarrassed?  Will you sacrifice your relationship because you don't happen to agree with who they are?  Would you not want them to have the same respect and equality that is promised to ALL Americans?  

This issue is hot, I know.  The bottom line is that LOVE is LOVE and if all men and women are created equal, shouldn't we recognize that in our LGBT brothers and sisters?  

It's a simple plan really, If we all come from a place of love and understanding, the world would be a much healthier and happier place to be.  

My hope is that the US Supreme Court will agree with me and that some day, I can see my lil' sister- and her future bride- toss their respective bouquets!