Transitive Verbs and Gay Marriage

[Misunderestimator]

Transitive Verbs and Gay Marriage

A fantasy in which our culture gets some real values
By DAN BARDEN
Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 3:00 pm

There are a lot of public questions that puzzle me—abortion, U.S. military might, welfare—but I have never been much puzzled by gay marriage. In fact, as the rest of the country, particularly my adopted state of Indiana, goes fairly insane on the question, my puzzlement is about why I’m not puzzled: What are all these people getting so exercised about? Personally, I regard marriage the way other people regard extreme sports. Climbing Everest, for example, is a harrowing, sometimes horrifying challenge, and many people don’t make it, but I’m not interested in stopping anyone from trying. My attitude is: be my guest. God bless you. Are you going to eat the other half of that sandwich? As far as I’m concerned, anyone who wants to race the Tour de France, whether he’s Lance Armstrong or a fat CPA from Akron, deserves his own team and TV show.

Then, a few months ago, I was at my local library with my 2-year-old son. He had dashed toward his favorite space—the combined reading area/Lego playground—and when I caught up to him, I found myself in the company of two men, each about five years younger than me, with two boys, one about 18 months and the other about 4 years old. My son was adopted from Eastern Europe, but I hardly ever mention this anymore. He’s so clearly my son. Still, when I see children who, for some reason, don’t quite sync with their parents, I have to repress the urge to say, Me too. Me too. Isn’t it wonderful? Usually, this happens with Asian children and European parents, but this time it was something else: these guys had that well-groomed-but-not-so-fashionable Midwestern gay thing going on, and the boys themselves were clearly from two different parts of the world. The 18-month-old was dark with fine features like my son, and his older brother looked Central American.

Even saying hello felt awkward. Do these guys think I disapprove of them? But I can’t approve of them without calling attention to their situation, which would seem rude and invasive. Maybe I’m just stupid, but I had to imagine my introduction would be something like: “Hey, aren’t you a gay couple with two children from different parts of the world? I’m a straight man whose son is from a different part of the world too.” Lame. Beyond lame. Supernaturally lame.

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A must read, continued here: http://www.ocweekly.com/news/news/transitive-verbs-and-gay-marriage/25715/

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. K&R! A great read! nt

[progmom]

2. this is a really great read

[ismnotwasm]

3. Wonderful!

Thank you.
K&R

[sundog]

4. good find

:thumbsup:

[xchrom]

5. this was wonderful on two levels -- first as an adopted child

who loves his parents -- they are my ONLY parents and would die for them.
i know what it is to be loved the way that man loves his son.

second as a gay person who knew from my earliest recollections that i was gay.

and i know that in my very small family that god lives in the love flows between us.

kicked and recommended.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Kicked and recommended...

:thumbsup:

[karlrschneider]

7. That's just so great...thanks!

:kick:

[bear425]

8. That was a great read! Thank you for sharing it! n/t kr

[Blue-Jay]

9. That's a very good article!

I, for many years, have had a similar feeling of "So, what's the big damn deal?" when I've discussed/thought about gay marriage or adoption. (directed at the folks against it of course.) It wouldn't bother me if that right were allowed to same-sex couples. In fact, were that the case, I doubt I'd even think about it much, if at all. It's the simple fact that rights are denied my fellow citizens that bothers the shit out of me.

Again though, excellent article. It really helps to explain how the regular "joe six-pack" version of a average liberal man views the subject.

[petronius]

10. That's an excellent read...

The story right below it (Das Booty!?) is a bit on the, uh, unsettling side...

:rofl:

[Cathyclysmic]

11. Thanks, MisU. Wonderful article.

:hi:

[asthmaticeog]

12. DAMN, great find!

K&R :thumbsup:

[Misunderestimator]

14. yes

thanks for leading me to it with that "other" article :)

[asthmaticeog]

15. Yeah, you totally outclassed me, there.

:blush:

[Misunderestimator]

13. ...

[progmom]

16. ...

:kick: