Marriage Equality?

This quote comes from the Internet but I’ve read similar ideas expressed in many books on the American Indian:

“Christian leaders stand on our soil and claim: ‘gay marriage’ has never occurred here. Over 130 tribes in every region of North America performed millions of same-sex marriages for hundreds of years. Their statements are both hateful and ignorant. Your ‘homosexual’ was our ‘Two Spirit’ people…and we considered them sacred.”

In fact serious readers will learn that ‘two spirit’ people were common in tribes all over the globe. They were included in tribal life and custom usually as shamans or medicine men. They were both men and women. They wore clothing that often was unisex. And this occurred hundreds of years ago on different continents ~ Asia, Africa and North America.

Inclusion. Normalcy. Do not waste human life. Do not cheapen talents, arts and skills that are already rare. Tribes knew what was right and wrong. The culture was small and transparent. Each person had a role to play for the common good of the tribe. Two spirit people. Yin and Yang.

Is this the argument in support of marriage equality, gay marriage, or…?

If it is it is as old as the hills themselves. Not modern rhetoric. Not experimental sociology or anthropology. It is age old. Maybe 13,000 years old; right here on our own continent.

This reminds me. America is not solely Western European. White man did not discover America. It was settled and acculturated thousands of years before Columbus arrived on our shores, or Leif Erricson, for that matter. Who’s the immigrant now, legal or illegal?

Native Americans were here first. They got a lot of things right: environmentalism, simplicity of life styles, peace with Mother Nature, and reliance on each other in the community. These things we still need. Towns and villages that pay attention to these things are better places in which to live. They also experience fewer major problems.

It’s sort of like the old saying:

            “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do!”

I know there is a growing awareness today of equality. For those of us who fought in the Civil Rights arena in the 50’s and 60’s, and then the Equal Rights for Women in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, Gay Rights is just another maturing of the American culture. It’s called inclusivity. We are all important and valuable to the nation and all of its neighborhoods.

I think Michelle Obama got it right when she spoke these words at the 2012 Democratic National Convention:

“If proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love…then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.”

If this doesn’t set well with your religious beliefs, or your neighbor’s, I understand your discomfort. But this is America. We all get a chance to believe what we will. My marriage does not rely on your marriage. Or my religion rely on yours. You marry who you want. Let me do the same. Let my religious convictions dictate my life styles; I’ll let yours do the same for your life styles. Fair deal?

I doubt you will desire to marry the person I choose. I haven’t chosen your mate for mine! So how can my marriage damage yours? Or yours mine?

See how simple that is.

The churches can do what they want among their followers and families. Just keep your hands off my fellow believers and families. Freedom of Religion. It’s guaranteed in our Constitution. It doesn’t say you get to do what you want but I can’t. And it doesn’t say I can do what I want but you can’t.

We all can. The religious rite belongs to the church. The marriage license is issued by government authority. I can live with the latter. You still get both. One day I’ll have both. Evidently not today. I’ll settle for the license, though.

Meanwhile just know ~ equal rights are not special rights.

September 17, 2012