I'm a Christian, and grew up a conservative politically and socially. I used to be asked if one of my family members, even my brother, who is 362 days older then me, were gay would I change my position, and I said of course not. I believed gay marriage should be totally illegal. Three years ago the State of Texas voted 72% in favor of banning gay marriage.
I'm a political science major with a history minor, so I'm about to tell you this story and my follow up from this position.
My junior year of high school my Uncle Gary died. This was the second brother on my mother's side to die. It hit me pretty hard, we had a common interest in music, both being drummers. During this time I was at my Uncle Gary's home in South Carolina, I told some gay jokes with my brother and my cousins. When I got home, I was told some news.
My Uncle Jimmy, the youngest of my mother's brothers and sister, was gay. I was surprised, and wasn't, I kind of had my suspicions. I didn't get much time to digest this point, my Uncle Jimmy was coming to visit for my brother's high school graduation in just a couple of weeks. This put in me in a position outside my comfort zone. My Uncle Jimmy was extremely important to me, we were close. I really didn't know how to handle the situation. When he came to visit I was the only one home at the time. He made a couple of jokes to break tension, like, "So do I look different now that I'm gay?!" and I laughed. We had a long conversation about it, and over the next few months, I realized that I was changing.
I met Uncle Jimmy's gay friends, his partner at the time, Larry, who I liked a lot, and got a look into the gay community that I had not before. The next year my Uncle Jimmy came to my high school graduation, and by that time, I had turned a 180 in my position.
My Spring semester of my freshman year of school, I gave a presentation on gay marriage in America. My Uncle Jimmy's favorite point that I made was in the beginning when I held up a movie poster from "Brokeback Mountain" and I said, "How many of you have seen or would like to see this movie?" Only a few people raised their hands, and all were women. I then said, "How many of you would like to see this movie?" and I held up a movie poster that said, "Brokeback Mountain 2" and it had Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie on it, and almost of the room raised their hands, all guys of course. I continued to dissect the issue, including showing the Christian hypocrisy in it. I can't tell you how many people came up to me afterwards telling me how they hadn't thought about it that way.
Anyway, last October 9th, my Uncle Jimmy died suddenly in his sleep. He was 42 years old, a successful OBGYN, a graduate of the University of Michigan, and a retired member of the United States Air Force, reaching the rank of Major. He saved numerous people's lives. He lived right on South Beach in Miami. He had been all over the world. It was the most heart-wrenching moment of my life thus far. My Uncle Jimmy was the most supportive person of my future outside of my parents and brother and fiance.
I have realized two things. One, not to insult anyone, but drugs are a huge problem in the gay community. My Uncle Jimmy died taking uppers and downers at the same time at a party. He may not have done drugs that much, but it only took one bad mix. Please, all who do drugs, either stop entirely, or be extremely careful. My Uncle Jimmy had an extremely bright future, and he should still be here.
My second thing, I've realized that in this country, you simply don't have equal rights. But I know how you can get them. Like I said, I study this stuff. California has really led the way, the most gay populated state to allow gay marriage, at least temporarily. If you are married in California, and you move, according to the Full Faith and Credit Clause in the Constitution, your marriage has to be recognized in another state. Lets say you move to Texas and they don't want to, then SUE! The court would have no choice but to declare the DOMA unconstitutional.
Next thing, this is what I believe SHOULD be allowed in America. In every legal sense, gay marriage should be totally allowed by the Federal government. However, churches can not be forced to have gay ceremonies, it is their constitutional right under freedom of religion. Of course there are more than enough churches that would allow services already.
What the Christian right fails to realize is that gay couples love each other as much as straight couples. I've seen this with my own eyes. Recently I proposed to my girlfriend to get married. Some of you may be in states where this would end up being a empty motive, and I'm sorry. It's because of people like me this is what it's come to. But the only motive we have to fight gay marriage is the religious ideals of it, which is unconstitutional, and based in the motives of a theocracy.
Alexander Hamilton was once asked why God was never mentioned in the Constitution, and Alexander Hamilton smiled and replied, "We forgot." We are not a theocracy, we are a country where you have the right to the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
Finally, use the judicial branch. James Madison said that the judicial branch was created to protect from the TYRANNY OF A MAJORITY. The gay community will never outnumber the religious right, but the courts CAN bring you justice. Don't give up. Don't settle for half-rights that the civil rights movement didn't accept, and neither should you. However from this future lawyer, you have my one hundred percent support. In memory of my Uncle Jimmy, who served his country with honor, saved people's lives, and had great respect all over the world, but in this country was recognized as a second class citizen because of who he loved. That's not fair. It's not American. Don't give up the fight.
