Several months ago, a couple of puffed up local judges fantasized they were supreme court justices, and ordered gay marriage to proceed in Florida against the democratic vote of 64% of its citizens. In response, I had the following letter printed in the Key West Citizen.
I had expected the ire of gay marriage proponents, but what amazed me was the response from citizens at large. For the next couple of weeks, everywhere I went, supporters approached me. Each one thanked me for writing the letter, and then explained why they themselves could not come out publicly against gay marriage; friends, family, business, clubs, social contacts and obligations. Yes, everyone had a perfectly good reason for remaining in the closet.
It truly concerned me that people were so fearful of publicly expressing their opinion, but it was also heartening to know that so many people in a liberal mecca like Key West agreed with me. Gays have now won the legal battle for marriage – winning acceptance will be much harder.
Editor – Key West Citizen
So now a Monroe County judge has joined seventeen carefully selected judges in other states, and usurped the gay marriage votes of millions of American citizens. The judge has imposed his own view of fairness and used a highly personal interpretation of the U.S. Constitution to overrule our state constitution and six thousand years of historical precedent.
The current gay marriage question is not about fairness, nor is it a legal or moral issue. The issue is one of majority rule and whether free citizens in a civil society should be allowed to choose the social structure best suited for them. If a very small minority and several dozen sympathetic judges are allowed to impose their wills on the majority, then no civil rights are safe, including our most precious freedoms of speech and religion.
Across the nation, a number of high profile gay activists have frightened citizens, CEO’s, and politicians into submission by equating opposition to gay marriage with hatemongering. To say that proponents of traditional marriage hate homosexuals, is precisely as absurd as saying gay men hate women, and lesbians hate fathers, yet by yelling it loud enough and long enough, our leaders cower before the charge.
America and its citizens would be better served with open debate about the real issues, such as: What will happen when gay marriage and freedom of religion inevitably clash? – What other categories of marriage will be up for legalization? – Do children really not need both a mother and a father?
And, is the family unit proscribed by nature now obsolete?
Neither a handful of judges nor elected officials, should be allowed to overturn the family structure that has existed throughout civilization. It should only be decided by the will of the people.
