l ‘S . - . I ‘ I . an anyone else actually have anything to say on gay marriage? After the Governator of Calle'ee-For-Neee- Aaaah, Arnold Schwarzenegger, uttered the immortal words, “I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman”? Yes, I can. I’ve said it before, and l’ll say it again: I’m for gay marriage. I say do it for the gifts. _ It amazes me the level of interest_there now is in a topic that, until the Massachusetts Supreme Court’s decision,- wasn’t on any- body’s radar screen. Aside, that is, from a dissenting opinion on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Texas sodomy decision that warned, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling!” Or, as the Justice actually put it, that _the Texas decision might lead, egads, to the legalization of gay marriage. Now we’ve got all kinds of so-called conservatives, ranging from the thoughtful to the wacko,' aj-:‘:;m§pposing,_an idea that_would lead to + what? — greater social stability among gay families. This from the folks who supposedly wish to encourage families to stay together. That’s part of what conservativism is about, after all. There are other yokels ' who suggest that marriage has » been the bedrock of civilization, when in fact marriage as we now know it is a relatively recent social and legal construct. It wasn’t all that many thousands of years ago since _Nog grabbed Ursula by the hair, pulled her off to his campfire, and started a family that way. Thereare other idiots recently escaped from their vil- lages who don’t notice that mar- riage is being desecrated continual.- ly by the likes of Trista and Ryan, _ _ r‘§‘9"‘?'.‘>"?"»‘*. *b’ts_-=:~9«°s»°Mz~:~»»>n;~ol»w‘r~eae.:»a-» . ml at -‘F v‘°~’*“9:*!.wc4sq-4sQ-va§¢- the hot entertainment couple du jour whose sole claim to fame is that they “fell in love” in six weeks on a show and keep appear- ing everywhere in blissful poses. (This, after poor Trista had fallen * in love with the first Bachelor, Alex Michel, and was devastated when he didn’t pick her at the end of that show.) You cannot tell me that throwaway TV marriages don’t do more damage to the institution . than Bill and Doug could do by ' exchanging vows before they enter their nursing home. You see, Bill and Doug are a couple I inter- viewed several years back about life in the 1950s —- a couple who this year celebrated their 50th anniversary together.'When they realized they couldn’t get an assist- ed living apartment together because they were neither married _ nor related by blood, as the rules required, they had to seek an V exception to the rule. Yet allowing these two to many would, accord- ing to the anti-gay marriage wack- os do more damage than all the TV brides and grooms in the world. Go figure. Meanwhile, some gay folks ‘are questioning whether gays and lesbians really should want civil ‘marriage rights. They note that there are gay couples who are, Gtll-we-or‘snVzQrJv . D . , . . . . .. . . 4* 6‘ vi -5 In -:6 or A an -In .6 an to so &— 4 ~aq>~.°$‘-7<"n"v°°fir‘z'—« ‘iA»dr‘6":‘a¢-flu-v‘ro<¢'4B“¢-‘i §n~ax&«ova“o~‘2oi,’s g vn.",¢\*t!~%.\$'il".\».bt"-II-g-9‘n¢’-it o. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar egads, not monogamous, so mar- riage really wouldn’t be a reflec- tion of their reality. It would be a case of fitting round pins into, well, many, many square holes. But let’s think about this. Didn’t President John F. Kennedy, boink every intern and ‘starlet that came his way — all the while mar- ‘ried to (the beautiful and sublime) Jackie? And didn’t Jackie get inheritance rights as a widow? Didn’t the kids go to her as Mom upon Dad’s death without any legal question? Why shouldn’t gay folks have just as much legal bene- fit, whether or not they take the one-person-for-life route or the Elizabeth Taylor-Newt Gingrich- Bob Dole how-many-can-we- marry-in-one-lifetime scenic detour? Others among us gay folks suggest that maybe we should settle for civil union (which just might happen in Massachusetts, unfortunately) and not push for the whole civil mar- riage enchilada. I don’t understand that approach. If something is the right thing to do, it’s the right thing ‘to do. Period. I’ve never consid- ered myself second-class to any- one, and I don’t intend to start now. Besides, I never skimp when I’m ordering enchiladas. So however the gay mar- riage fracas turns out — and I ' believe it will ultimately turn in our favor, because I can sense the weight of historyipushing in our direction — I’m looking forward to one thing. The gifts. V Kevin Isom is the author of It Only Hurts When I Polka and Tongue in Cheek and Other Places, available at bookstores and online. He may be reached at isomonline@aol.com . or www.Kevin1som.com. Iceber I cont‘d from previous pag 0115, and manypeople die from withdrawal seizures, as opposed to heroin withdrawal, which is painful, but not life threatening in and of itself. Benzodiazepine (anti-anxiety. medications including Valium, ' Xfinax, Ativan, and Klonopin) Withdrawal is also dangerous. If you think you may be - developing a problem with alcohol or drugs, or know someone who is, ’ call your local drug and alcohol , abuse hotline. It is never too late to get help while you are still breath- ing. V ' Copyright © 2003 Alexander Renault. All rights reserved. Alexander-Renault is the pen name_ for- a writer.who has published in multiple genres. He has worked in the mental health and drug and - alcohol fields for the past fifieen years. Mr. Renault is currently edit- ing the non-fiction anthology Walking Higher: Gay'Men Write About the Deaths of Their Mothers from Renault Publishing, Inc. He invites you to visit him at A lexanderRenault. com The Samara Fotmda aveirmont is a charitable foundation Kw ose mission is to support and strengthen ‘Vermont’; gay, lesbian, A bisexuai, and transgendered communities today and build an endowment for tomorrow. Todd Lawrence a Sales 8 Leasing Consultant Please call 8024365-8226 (1 -800-883-60 1 7 2:-82267 £01‘ i'l’1.£O1'n'I.8.f10I.1 or appointrnent 1 620 Shelburne Road South Burlington, Varxnont 05403 eritage Toyota 8 Scion Because our team is dedicated to provid- ing the best possible service to all people we are proud? of. our ties to the GLBT co’mrmmity. Specializing in V Addison County _ www.lzmgteam.com Ge°';9§tr§§f9We’ - " ((802) 388-1000 ' ' ‘crts, em, can, AER ‘ ' ' langmldd@sa