Equality: It’s been an issue since the beginning of time. What it means, who decides it and most controversial, who deserves it, is currently being debated.

With all the hype surrounding the U.S Supreme Court’s hearing arguments over legalizing gay marriage, it seems many are more concerned with their own beliefs and concerns than the equal treatment of others.

I think it’s safe to say that many of the judgmental and unfair concerns against gay marriage and homosexuality are widely based on religious beliefs. Many argue the laws of God, according to the Holy Bible, should be upheld. Others argue that homosexuality is unnatural or untraditional.

While these concerns may be valid for one’s personal belief system or morals, that is not justified reasoning for the decision on whether two people — who, by the way, are no less human than anyone else on this Earth — should be legally able to celebrate their love and commitment to each other through marriage.

If one wants to argue that something shouldn’t be allowed because it is unnatural, then surely wearing makeup, clothes or using technology should be banned due to their unnaturalness. That’s no less absurd. And, if gay marriage is so contrary to God’s word that it should be illegal and not just discouraged, then surely premarital sex should be illegal, too.

See how ridiculous this concept is?

According to a study at www.trincoll.edu, various historians say homosexuality has existed for as long as heterosexuality has.

Saying gay marriage shouldn’t be legal is as logical as saying that a woman’s right to vote should be illegal. All of these arguments are invalid.

Plain and simple, not allowing the same rights for all Americans is discrimination. It is no different from racial, gender or any other type of discrimination.

America is often described as a salad bowl: a mixture of all kinds of different cultures, religions, beliefs and so on.

To function as a society, we as a nation, need to get along for the most part.

However, some of the population are so misconstrued in their ways of thinking that they can’t get out of the prehistoric bubble of what they think is natural or traditional, let alone acceptable. This is nothing new, really.

The world has always been populated with women, yet women have had to fight for equal treatment.

Individuals of other races and ethnicities, despite always having been present, have also had to fight for equal treatment. The equal treatment of LGBT individuals is inevitable and is most likely going to happen in our lifetime, despite personal opposition.

The point is, there are always going to be individuals who do not agree with our personal beliefs, but that does not give us the right to deny anyone the right to be treated equally.

Gay marriage should be legal everywhere. I would be interested to know what kind of harm or chaos it would bring to anyone in any way whatsoever.

The legalization of gay marriage would only reap positive benefits, the biggest one being another step toward achieving equality for all.

I encourage those who can’t agree with the equal treatment of all people in all walks of life to consider how they would feel if their rights were taken away solely based on the fact that they don’t agree with someone else’s.

—Paris Burris

Editor

To contact Paris Burris, email editor@occc.edu.