There Will Come A Day

Perhaps now more than ever the rights of gay Americans are a major part of the nation's debate.  The passing of Proposition 8 in California has sparked a fire within Americans on both sides of the vote.  Florida and Arizona also passed bans against gay marriage and Arkansas banned unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children.  

My initial response to these votes was anger.  Anger at the lack of compassion, understanding, and love for fellow human beings.  Perhaps it stings a little more knowing that there are people in my life that would have voted in support of these bans and feeling an overwhelming sense of an entire group of American citizens being so misunderstood and so hated for reasons that are inaccurate, ridiculous, and hateful.  As the days passed after the election,  I began to hear all of the unfounded ways the proponents of these bans convinced voters to vote yes.  The purpose of this article is not to go into those absurd lies, but rather to discuss how my anger has turned to hope.

When I consider politics, I don't think there is necessarily a right or a wrong viewpoint.  We all would like to think that the side we align with is the right side, but the truth is that these are just varying philosophies that generally have the same goal - to form a more perfect Union.  When it comes to politics, I don't think that one side or the other is inherently right, perhaps one philosophy might work better than another at certain times throughout history.  Maybe one makes some really bad decisions on one issue, but redeems itself on another.  There isn't always clear cut answers to our countries problems, but there are certainly a variety of approaches to the problems.

However, when one considers the issue of gay marriage, there is a right and a wrong.  There is not a spec of doubt in my mind or my soul - allowing gay Americans the right to marry is right.  It is correct on every level of that which is the foundation of this country, the Constitution.  Many would argue that this is a moral issue and I wholeheartedly agree.  Denying rights to gay people - fellow human beings, is immoral.  Denying this is wrong.

I've been able to sleep at night because I know I am on the right side of this issue and I know there will come a day when most agree.  This is how I know.

In 1664, the state of Maryland passed a law against interracial marriage.  The rest of the states followed suit and by the time of the Civil War, miscegenation laws were on the books throughout the country.  It wasn't until the 1830's that a group in Massachusetts challenged the law claiming that it stood in the face of the fundamental principle of civil equality.  Abolitionists fought until 1843 when then legislature finally overturned the law.

The rest of the country did not follow.  In fact, towards the end of the Civil War, white southerners worked to pass stronger miscegenation laws.  The federal government fought back during the Reconstruction giving us the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing "equal protection."  As a result, eight of the eleven formerly Confederate states overturned their laws banning interracial marriage.

In the late 1870's, as Reconstruction collapsed, lawmakers and citizens began to reinstate and strengthen miscegenation laws.  They used four main arguments to plead their case: 

1) Marriage belonged under the control of the states rather than the federal government; 

2) they began to define and label all interracial relationships as illicit sex; 

3) they insisted that interracial marriage was contrary to God's will; 

4) they were adamant that interracial marriage was "unnatural."

Between 1880 and 1950, miscegenation laws strengthened and became the norm of society.  However, in 1948, the Supreme Court of California made a move in the right direction, declaring California's miscegenation law unconstitutional.  Justice Roger Traynor spoke on the decision, "A member of any of these races may find himself barred by law from marrying the person of his choice and that person to him may be irreplaceable."  He continued, "Human beings are bereft of worth and dignity by a doctrine that would make them as interchangeable as trains...the right to marry is the right of individuals, not of racial groups."

In 1967, the United States Supreme Court agreed and the case of Loving v. Virginia spelled the end of America's history of miscegenation laws.  Although some states didn't give up so easily.  Alabama didn't remove its miscegenation law until 2000.

To most Americans, the idea of banning interracial marriage is now a ridiculous one, but not many years ago - it was the norm.  The reasons used to support this ban are many of the same reasons used to support the ban on gay marriage.  How are those people viewed today that held these views on interracial marriage?  My hope and firm belief is that there will come a day when the same happens with same-sex marriage.

There will come a day when Americans join in embracing all human beings.  There will come a day when this great country realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of in allowing equal rights to all its citizens.  There will come a day when all will realize that people are who they are and they should be accepted as they are.  There will come a day when those who preach and cause division and exclusion will see the error of their ways.  There will come a day when the proponents of denying rights to gay people today will be viewed just as the people who denied rights to interracial couples of the past.

There will come a day when those who are on the right side of this issue will prevail.