Richard & Mildred Loving
Can't Help Who You Love
A cliché remains ever so true: You can’t help who you love.
Forbidden love’s been a running theme through the ages. Romeo and Juliet
fictionally immortalized the concept.
The former Mildred Jeter, an
African-American, and Richard Loving, a Caucasian, ironically, made the taboo a
reality. Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loving
v. Virginia (1967) ruling, interracial marriages were no longer illegal.
Richard and Mildred faced 25 years in prison for violating the state’s
interracial marriage ban. Instead, the judge ordered them not to
return—together—for 25 years.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, another way of loving continually
faces opposition. The GLBT community is plagued with a volatile atmosphere in
its quest to publicly acknowledge and honor loving relationships. It’s past
time to make love—not war.
The GLBT community and its allies have battled marriage
equality foes and won battles.
Same-sex couples can now have legally-recognized unions, marriages
and/or spousal rights in Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, District of
Columbia Nevada, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to cnn.com.
Washington is on track to join them. The state’s legislature
sent a marriage equality bill to the floor. Gov. Chris Gregoire pledged to put
her “John Hancock” on the legislation.
However, that victory for gays and lesbians isn’t set in
stone. Legislative triumphs can’t silence critics. Oh, let’s keep it
real—bigots. As Gregoire embraces equality, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vows
to veto any gay marriage legislation that lands on his desk.
A Tea Party-infused Republican Party replaced marginalized
moderates with rabid conservatives who vainly squawk about traditional values.
GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum is among their loudest poster
children.
Santorum wasn’t shy about stressing the GLBT’s community’s
second-class status during a Fulton, Mo. campaign stop, the Huffington
Post reports.
"Two
people who may like each other or may love each other who are same-sex, is that
a special relationship? Yes it is, but it is not the same relationship that
benefits society like a marriage between a man and a woman," Santorum said.
Well, isn’t
that special? Santorum called
same-sex relationships special. Thanks for the lip service to the notion of
equality, Rick.
With that
said, does that mean multiple “straight” marriages benefit society more than
stable straight unions that death ends? Never mind, Rick,
Newt’s answer would be way more interesting.
