It’s Time to Put Aside Our Fears

As of Friday, August 19, 2011

This month The American Psychological Association took its strongest stand supporting full marriage equity for gay and lesbian couples.

The policymaking body of the APA approved the resolution 157-0 at this year’s national convention in Washington, D.C. Clinton Anderson, director of the Office on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns, says, “Now as the country has really begun to have experience with gay marriage, our position is much clearer and more straightforward — that marriage equity is the policy the country should be moving toward.”

This resolution cites recent studies that “many gay men and lesbians, like their heterosexual counterparts, desire to form stable, long-lasting and committed intimate relationships and are successfully doing so.”

It goes on to say, “Emerging evidence suggests that statewide campaigns to deny same-sex couples legal access to civil marriage are a significant source of stress to the lesbian, bisexual residents of those states and may have negative effects on their psychological well-being.”

I’m amazed that we ignore the obvious — when anyone is marginalized and legislatively restricted, it affects his/her emotional well-being. Since when does rejection ever promote mental health?

The N.C. Legislature is attempting to enact House Bill 777 and Senate Bill 106 stating that marriage is between a man and a woman. It is my hope and prayer that our state legislators, particularly Jamie Boles and Harrison Blake, will oppose such legislation.

It’s un-American to restrict the rights of our citizens. It’s ludicrous to think that marriage equity hurts marriage and creates a moral vacuum.

If you agree it is time to stop the un-American practice of marriage discrimination, urge our local legislators to vote against such archaic practices. Let’s put aside our fears and do what America stands for — provide “liberty and justice for all.”

Chas Griffin

Seven Lakes

More like this story

jimt 1 year, 9 months ago

Clerics who perform marriages are licensed by the State in which they reside to do so as a "civil" act which creates the "marriage" in terms of State law, and concurrently as a religious act which has no legal basis, per se, but is cherished by those who wish to receive the blessing of their church,.

DaveyNC 1 year, 9 months ago

New phrase, eh? "Marriage discrimination". Heh. So tired of this practice of renaming something to obscure what it really is. Say it loud, it's "Gay Marriage"!

Look, I think that all people should be allowed to legally commit to one another if that is what they want to do. Consenting adults should be free to do as they wish so long as their actions do not impinge on anyone else. Can't see how same sex marriage impinges on anyone else's rights. The Wahhabi Christians among us can squawk all they want about it debasing marriage, but Hollywood did that a long time ago; Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Britney Spears and so on. So, let anyone have a civil ceremony and be legally married. If they can find a church and preacher to do, have at it.

But let's kill the phrase "marriage discrimination" right now. Jeez, everybody's a victim.

nothingspecial 1 year, 9 months ago

The APA, like the NASW has shifted more to the whims of politics and polls than to any measurable breakthroughs in what they call their science. I wouldn't consider them exactly an authority about what is best. Neither would I fundamentally change an institution that forms the basis for providing the most stable, wholesome, and effective upbringing for children based upon the mistakes of some high profile celebrities or because I might be accused of being un-American or of discriminating against the oppressed. Those are my values - they don't change the fact that I consider every person who chooses to be a homosexual a precious, priceless human being, deserving of all I can do to help them. I, my values don't consider what you are proposing Mr. Griffin, as helpful to anyone.