Gays and Marriage; Do they mix?

I don't understand the gay life. As a Male, I don't understand how a man could not be attracted to a woman, yet be attracted to another man, but I do not have to understand them to accept them. Gay individuals need to be entitled to all the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals. Their sexual orientation does not dictate what kind of a person they are. It does not predispose them to molesting children, being bad parents, or sexual promiscuity. If two gay individuals wish to marry, more power to them.
In Lisa Schiffren's essay "Gay Marriage, an Oxymoron" Schiffren condemns gay marriages, she states that gay marriages cannot provide pro-creation and sexual exclusivity that heterosexual marriages do. Schiffren also goes on to state that Society cares about heterosexual relationships because they are critical for raising children and instilling our values as a culture and that whether or not homosexual relationships endure is of little concern to society, as are childless heterosexual marriages. Schiffren states that the tie that really binds together a marriage is the responsibility of children and without this, what will keep gay marriages together? Schiffren makes the statement that legal marriage will not end the promiscuity of gay males, she points out that the threat of AIDS has not ended it, what will a piece of paper do? Schiffen argues that government tax breaks and other financial incentives given to married couples are for the sole purpose of helping to raise children. Schiffren ends by stating that the political process is the route gay marriage's should take.
Lisa Schiffren's arguments are for the most part just offensive, not only to gay couples, but also to heterosexual couples. Schifferen's arguments put more emphasis on the child of a marriage then the actual love between two people who are married. Which is where the value of any marriage should be. Schiffren's statements that tax breaks are for helping to raise children is off base. What about married couples who have no children? Should we take away their tax breaks? Schiffren needs to focus more on the foundation of marriage; love, not children.
As a society, we really need to get it together. Who are we to tell two people,regardless of sexual orientation, that they cannot be married? Because as a society we think that the gay lifestyle is morally wrong? Because marriage is holy? Is allowing two individuals to marry at the age of 16 morally right? probably not, but many states allow it. We send 18 year old boys off to die in someone else's war, but prohibit them from drinking alcohol. Is this morally right? Heterosexual couples are married all the time in non-religious weddings, where is the holiness of their marriage? We should also never assume that the power to procreate makes one marriage stronger then another. There are many children in state services who came from marriages that procreated.
Thomas B Stoddard's essay " Gay Marriages: Make them legal" presents a much more fair picture of marriage in general. Stoddard points out that marriage is beneficial to one's emotional and spiritual health, along with providing them with the same financial rights that is granted to heterosexual married couples. Stoddard states that marriage's in general are created to promote family and social stability, and those wishing to pursue this should be encouraged not deprived because of their sexual orientation. Stoddard's strongest statement "Government has no legitimate interest in how that love is expressed" is so true, I mean according to our constitution, isn't state and religion supposed to be separate?
While we may not agree with the gay lifestyle, it is not our place to judge the love of two individuals. We must realize that marriage is built on love, not children and to raise healthy and happy children, two people must love one another; regardless of their sexual orientation.

Matthew Smith