Gay marriage is now legal in Utah. The long battle has finally reached the inevitable solution that all Utahans have the right to marry whom they wish. Friday a Federal Judge announced Amendment 3 to the Utah Constitution defining marriage between a man and a women and the state ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Immediately after the ruling hundreds of people flocked to the local city offices to obtain their marriage license. This mass exodus to the city offices reminded me of the Mayflower and why people came to the new world in the first place.
The original Mayflower was full of non-religous settlers and religious separatists looking for a new home of liberty. The separatists were particularly searching for a place where they could practice their beliefs without the oppression of King James. In Bradford's History of the Plimouth Plantation, the Mayflower pilgrims discussed how they would be governed and felt they would, "...use their owne libertie; for none had power to comand them [sic]." Meaning they were looking for a world of liberty and that no power could control them but their own. From this simple idea, a world was born and eventually lead to these United States and a Constitution that grants freedoms to live and worship as we desire.
Those looking for the legalization of same-sex marriage are no different than those separatists, or as people in 1620 often called them--strangers, searching for a chance to have liberty and be under the command no one but themselves.
Where does this leave me and my thoughts. I do not have same-sex attraction. My religion, though moderately accepting of homosexuality, does believe it to be a sin to act upon these feelings and attractions. I subscribe to these same beliefs and that marriage is between a man and a women and I have the freedom and liberty to choose to believe this way. But this is irrelevant to the decision if someone has the right to marry or not. My own religion says in it's Articles of Faith, "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." Just as a Muslim, or Jew, or a monk or a vegetarian lives a way I may not agree, I will respect their decision to live as they do and quietly disagree. Now I know that same-sex attraction by most standards is considered not to be a choice; regardless it is something I don't agree with. Still irrelevant to the decision of gay marriage.
As I do not agree with homosexual way of life, I do 100% agree everyone has earned those same liberties the pilgrims sought after. Freedom to worship, freedom to live, freedom to disagree, and yes--freedom to marry. Our U.S. Constitution enables us to worship and live how we want. What the Constitution is not is a moral compass to decide what is right and wrong, it only guarantees that all can worship in a way to decide for themselves. If Phil Robertson wants to be a jerk and only read the Old Testament to crudely criticize homosexuality then let him do it. Let the world hold him accountable for it, he has that freedom. If A&E wants to suspend or fire Phil, let them do it, they have that freedom and please remember A&E brought us Gene Simmons Family Jewels which had sexual commentary and crude language left and right. Finally if gay couples want to be married in the State of Utah or anywhere else, they deserve that freedom.
In summary, gay rights, marriage and more are all part of this same amazing thing that created the United States. We live in a country where you can be free to be different and that is just fine. The voyagers of the Mayflower knew this and came here in search of it. So I am encouraging these new modern day pilgrims to make their voyage and seek the rights they have deserved, for they deserve to be ruled by their own liberty to choose marriage and no one else.
"Bradford's History "Of Plimoth Plantation". From the Original Manuscript. With a Report on the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts. Printed under the Direction of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, by Order of the General Court. Boston:Wright and Potter Printing Co. (State Printers), 1901.
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