I am of the opinion that if a pearl of wisdom were to fall from our president's mouth, he would probably pick it up, mistake it for a breath mint and pop it back in. I know many people have an affinity for President Bush — as evidenced by this election — but there is one matter in which I cannot give him even the slightest benefit of the doubt. Everyone knows Bush supports a constitutional ban on gay marriage. But how do we feel about the issue?

I've spoken to people who say they're in favor of same sex civil union but not marriage because marriage is something between a man and a woman in the eyes of God. Well, what about all those heterosexual couples who profess atheism? There's no religious component to their union and yet we still considered them married. The argument here is mere semantics. Call it union, call it marriage, call it a grilled cheese sandwich. What the gay population is looking for is not a title, but the same rights afforded to every married, heterosexual couple from federal statutes. Besides why should religion even play into this? What happened to the separation of church and state?

Of course, that's why this is an issue in the first place. People view homosexuality as an intrinsic wrong because it says so in the Bible. But can I just say, without any disparagement to the Good Book, that it hasn't always proven the best reference guide. Take Deuteronomy 22, where it reads that if a husband discovers his new bride is not a virgin, she shall be stoned to death. Obviously there are parts of the Bible that simply cannot be taken literally. The Bible's ultimate purpose is to teach us to live with respect and compassion for our neighbor. However, for too many that only happens if the neighbor is straight.

What I want to know is why are Bush and others who hold the same contentions so threatened by gay marriage? It's not as if the homosexual community is asking every American to embrace his or her lifestyle wholeheartedly. They would just like their union to be recognized by a country which — rather ironically — prides itself on equality and acceptance. People marry for money or citizenship but it isn't until a gay couple wants to show their commitment that we can talk dysfunctional relationships.

This issue is not exclusive to the United States. Even though I've concentrated on Bush's policies, we can't forget that gay marriage is an international consideration. As a superpower, think how much good we could do by supporting it.

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