Can't help who you love

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.