GAY MARRIAGE (2)

It seems that the forthcoming U.S. Presidential election is likely to be dominated by the issue of whether homosexuals can get married. After sitting on the fence - officially, at  least - for a long time, President Obama has come out in favour; though he still believes that each state should decide, and most of them have already decided against. His likely challenger Mitt Romney, on the other hand, thinks that marriage is, and can only be, between a man and a woman.

I will state my view on this upfront; gay men and women should be allowed to marry someone of the same sex, if they want to. I say this for two reasons. First, as a liberal principle; what is available to one section of society should be available to all. Secondly, because allowing gay people to marry doesn't harm me in any way, even if I were to think that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

It is the second reason that seems to get people in the U.S. hot under the collar. Religious conservatives are not content with being able to marry who they want, and to have (and profess) their own beliefs. They have to take those beliefs and then make life miserable for people whom they disagree with. It is the mark of the religious bigot throughout the ages, and is both unattractive and - in the long run- dangerous.

Walter Blotscher