The Hot Topic

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was John Stewart tonight discussing his book "It's About the Family". As the title suggests, the book is about same-sex marriage and traditional family values...a topic I feel very strongly about. I do not share the Senators opinion and neither does John Stewart. But the two played nice and both delivered intelligent arguements, so I have no choice but to respect the Senator.

John Stewart raised an interesting point about traditional marriage. The marriage of today is usually, or better yet, IDEALLY a union of a man and a woman who are in love for the purpose of raising virtuous, moral children in a wholesome family environment. But as history has proven time and time again, the IDEAL anything is difficult and short lasting. The ideal marriage up until about 150 years ago was about the acquisition of wealth and property, and children were just an extension or an expression of said wealth. Sons were deemed of higher value, while daughters had to be accompanied by livestock or property to been seen as suitable for marriage. This ideal changed (thank you) as most ideals do.

The part about the debate of same-sex marriage that makes me laugh (but not in a funny way) is this, and I beg you to bear with me because sometimes I have a hard time explaining myself, so this may not make much sense....

Those against same-sex marriage claim it is unchristian and harmful to society as a whole because it undermines the traditional definition of family. By granting homosexual couples the freedom to marry, they feel they are GIVING UP something. But it would be more an act of altruism (the unselfish concern for the welfare of others), probably the most christian thing one can do. Unfortunately, humans by their very nature are greedy and self serving, no matter how "christian" they claim to be.

"But won't someone please think of the children!" is the cry from the Christians. I have and you know what? Most children I knew growing up would have been better off in any family other than the one they had, same-sex or not. A so called "traditional" marriage is not a guarantee of a nurturing, ideal childhood. For me, homosexuals raising children is such a non-issue, it's laughable. If an individual of same-sex orientation can save the lives of those in a car wreck, then by God they're more than able to raise a child! More able than me, that's for sure.

In my opinion, same-sex marriage is a benefit to society, creating higher self esteem and self worth for a very large portion of the population, thus creating a more productive and happier society as a whole with less conflict and strife.

Thank God we live in Canada and this has already been made law. But there are those in our community who like to revert us back to the stone age...don't worry...I have my eye on them...they won't get far if I have anything to do about it...

I could be just talking out my ass right now and I do believe I am starting to ramble, but that was my two cents. This issue deserves at least four cents so please feel free to input.