Shut Up And Listen 117 Can You Feel The Love Tonight? I honestly cannot wait until the so-called “greatest generation” dies out. And then the generation after that and then my generation and then my kids’ generation, because maybe by then people will have gotten themselves some brains. Oh, Tuesday and Wednesday were good days, oh yes they were. The Ontario court of appeals held up the earlier ruling that discrimination against same sex couples in regards to marriage is unconstitutional and the first same sex couple was married in Toronto, as shown on the front page of the local paper Wednesday with them kissing. And then Thursday came and I was treated to the first of many “I don’t hate gay people, but . . .” letters that would be featured in the paper. I love those letters, I really do. They’re kind of like when you say to someone “With all due respect . . .” They’re formalities in an effort to say what you really think without being judged. “Oh sure, I don’t hate gay people, but please, don’t make me see them at all or be forced to think about them for an instant! But I don’t hate them.” Real convincing, isn’t it? Oh yeah, I mean, I don’t hate black people, but I don’t want to see them on the front page of the paper. Can’t you put their news in the back? I mean, I don’t want my little kid exposed to that sort of thing until they’re old enough to understand the complexities of race relations. How does that strike you? Sound a little racist? Well, that’s just me paraphrasing a letter except instead of “black” and “race relations” the writer used “gay” and “sexual preferences.” It’s bullshit is what it is. It’s socially acceptable hate speech. Of course, the argument I hate the most is bringing children into it. Talking about how children can’t understand the complexities of homosexuality. Seriously, what’s so hard to understand? Some men like women and some men like men, and some women like men and some women like women. Not rocket science. No, it’s just another cover for their own prejudices. Religion is my favourite one, it really is. How can most religions that are based on patriarchal and near-misogynistic teachings really be so adamantly opposed to homosexuality? I mean, if you look at how men are portrayed and how women are, in those religious worlds, no man would want to “lower” himself by consorting with a woman. But hey, maybe I’m reading too much into things like The Bible. But to me, using religious beliefs as a shield to hide behind when people call you on you prejudices is downright cowardly. “My god says homosexuality is a sin.” Well then, fuck your god. I could go off on a rant about being held down by beliefs over two thousand years old, but I won’t. And finally, the most popular argument against same sex marriages is: it goes against the sanctity of marriage. Frankly, this is the only argument I believe 100% in. But then again, 99% of the heterosexual marriages that take place don’t quite reach the bar of upholding the true spirit of marriage, so the sanctity of marriage means nothing anymore. Marriage is really about money, property and family names. Love has nothing to do with it. If there are any heterosexual marriages out there that were about love, well, sorry to say but you make me sick, you disgusting freaks. Where’s the money? Where’s the bargaining? The dowries? What’s that? Love is a good reason these days? Well, if they’re about anything, same sex marriages are all about the love. And that’s good enough for me and it should be for you too.