I always considered myself lucky to live in Canada. It is a place where free thinking and different cultures are promoted.
People have the right to be themselves, that is, as long as it doesn't infringe upon the rights of others. I never actually realized how much I really appreciated this until being told that two of my friends were getting married.
They are two of the greatest people I know. They are kind, caring, funny, willing to go above and beyond for each and every one of their friends. They are outgoing and will make fools of themselves on occasion to make people laugh, to get someone to smile after a bad day. I appreciate them immensely. In fact one of them was the first friend I made in university, outside of my roommate.
These wonderful people were friends for what I know of as forever, I honestly can't imagine them never being in each other's lives. Their love for each other eventually grew and they have now been engaged for about a year, with plans of a wedding in 2013. One in which I was honoured, and somewhat frightened, to accept the gig as MC. I only hope I can make them glad to have chosen me to do this on their special day.
I bring this up in regards to happily and proudly living in Canada because in another country they would possibly be denied this happiness. Same-sex marriages are frowned upon by certain countries and even within the countries that allow them there are people who do not approve.
Arguments that I have heard against same-sex marriages include that it takes away from the sanctity of marriage. In my opinion, however, what is more sacred than two people loving each other enough to pledge that they will spend the rest of their lives together. The thing that is sacred is love.
The past states that a man and a woman are meant to be partners, but is the way things done in the past always right? Shouldn't we grow and learn from the world? Aren't common molds always meant to be broken? Societal norms are always changing to encompass the new world that is continually being altered. After all the world was once flat and it was heresy to say otherwise. The world continually evolves and acceptance of people, though different in some ways than ourselves, is becoming increasingly important.
I understand that everyone has their own beliefs and I respect this, although my own viewpoint may disagree with them, that is the beauty of a free country. Everyone is allowed to have their own opinions. This is all that I hope that people will come together on though, the idea that though someone's beliefs or practices are different than their own, to respect them.
People who are not hurting you, not infringing upon your rights as a person, should be taken for who they are, not for who they love. For that matter, as long as someone is not criticizing or infringing upon another's rights this idea of acceptance crosses into other areas such as religion and race. Letting people live their lives in their own way, just as you are able to do is only fair.
Life is too short to harbour hatred and anger for people one doesn't even know. Judging someone, before actually getting to know them, based on who they choose to worship, marry, or what race they are is not the way the world should work. Their merits, who they are as a person should be how someone discovers if they like or don't like the person.
I know I'm sounding like I want to live in a utopian society where everyone loves each other and holds hands singing about this love, but to be honest who actually likes to be angry or feel hate. You don't have to love everyone, but accepting who they are feels better than hating them for something out of their control.
I understand people can rub us the wrong way. Certain people we don't want to associate with. This is fine. It is impossible to get along with and love everyone, but the old adage "hate is a strong word" does apply. It's an even stronger feeling, though, and despite not agreeing with something as long as your rights and freedoms aren't at stake I'd say let people live.
I'm proud to have two good friends in my life who are marrying each other. They are phenomenal people that have had to go through a lot. I would trust them with my life and couldn't care less about who they love, as long as they're both happy.
