It’s all about love

I read a couple of letters in the last offering of the Southern Free Times from a couple of gentlemen who are airing their views on the issues of gay marriage and I have had this in the back of my mind ever since reading them last Thursday evening.
One person went on and on about the adverse health effects on gay marriage from overseas countries (Denmark) and how opposite sex married couples live 20 years longer than couples from gay marriages… so the point here is (if I understand it correctly) is that it is only the GAY married couples that are suffering adverse health effects… it is obviously ok for there to be gay couples as long as they are not married??? Or do you intend to rally the support of the nation to band together to outlaw gay and homosexual couples altogether?? Perhaps throw them in prison (in separate cells of course)?
Sorry to burst your bubble old mate but adding the word “marriage” to a same-sex, gay or homosexual relationship status does NOT lower someone’s life expectancy.
Furthermore, if a couple wish to stand together to vow to each other that they will love, honour and cherish the other person for as long as they both shall live and exchange rings and sign documents to be recognised legally as a couple in the eyes of the law, don’t you think they should be allowed to do just that regardless of the fact that they be Johns or Janes?
After all, as I see it, God made love… MAN made the laws to suit himself… and if the current laws do not suit the needs of EVERYONE concerned, then maybe it is time to take a serious look at those laws and make allowances to treat everyone as equals?
Now when we get to the guts of the matter, I believe that this one little word, “equal” is the problem. I have to think that there are some people out there who are so homophobic or insecure about their own sexuality or their relationships and marriages that they do not wish to have “THEM” branded with the same iron that they have been branded with. I mean seriously… if they get to call themselves “married” then the next thing you know they will want to have the same jobs as us and live in the same streets as us or even think they have the right to live in the house next door to our houses and THAT is just not on. I want to see McDonald’s and KFC to have separate bathroom facilities to the ones I use and they can have their own rooms to eat in too. (Has anyone seen the movie Mississippi Burning?)
Honestly, where is it going to end and acceptance begin? I am secure with my heterosexuality and I do not have a problem at all with any loving couple being together, able to stand together in front of their friends and family to declare their love for each other and sign the legal papers to be recognised as a couple of human beings who are bound by the same legal contracts as everyone else.
Neil Briscoe
Warwick