Let me tell you, brother...

While standing in line to get some catfish at the Long Beach Blues Festival yesterday, I got involved in a conversation with somebody who was handing out literature in opposition to Proposition 8. For those not keeping track (and those who don't live in Californski), that's the proposition to ban gay marriage (well, any marriage that's not a traditional one between a man and a woman). And it got me thinking about all the long-term monogamous gay couples I've known in my life. The first such couple were neighbors of a high school friend of mine. One of the couple was the costume designer from the Captain Kangaroo show (which is how my friend Jan had an actual pair of Mr. Green Jeans' green jeans). They were one of the most settled, happy, committed, and devoted to each other couples I've ever known. I know that they were a great example of domestic stability for anybody who might look - surely no threat to anybody's marriage. As a matter of fact, I've known married couples who could have learned a lot from them about commitment and making a marriage work over the years. It's a shame that they never had the chance to publicly solemnify their very loving relationship.

I think about _darkvictory's cousin and his partner. They've been together for decades, and share a lovely lake home. One of the funniest, most enjoyable, and smartest couples I've ever known. Hanging out with them is always great conversation and great company. Seeing them together, it's obvious how much they love each other. but the partner's family isn't entirely supportive, and if something were to happen to him, it's entirely possible that they might try to keep them apart. It would be heart-breaking if they weren't able to stand by each other and support each other in difficult times because they don't have the legal right to do so. And equally heart-breaking if they can't stand up together and tell the world how they feel, and have it mean exactly the same thing as when I stood, trembling and stammering, to exchange vows with the woman I love.

I support same-sex marriage precisely because I love my wife, and believe that anybody that loves somebody else so much that they're willing to make that same commitment should have the right to do so in exactly the same way. No waffling, no 'domestic partner' runarounds, no 'separate but equal' crap, but exactly the same way. Because, in the end, love is a fragile thing, and it needs all the support it can get.