Protesters marching in the streets, signs proudly held high, sides taken, lines drawn. This is not the first time in history people have had to fight for their basic human rights for happiness and equality.

Sep. 21, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the defense of marriage act banning federal recognition of same sex-marriage and defining marriage as a “legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife,…” thus starting the fight for gay rights. A topic that can evoke such strong emotions in everyone, emotions that cause riots and protest, that can break up friendships and families.

Gay marriage; should humans have the right to legally marry the person they love, the person who makes them happy? Should they be able to show they are together such as holding hands without getting bigoted remarks thrown their way? I can not see what is so wrong with people being with who they love, they do not judge you because you are straight. It is their life they are not forcing you to love someone of the same gender so why should they be forced to love someone of the opposite gender. What is wrong with loving someone unconditionally of the same gender? In America, 15 states have legalized gay marriage. However 35, have banned people from making their love legal.

Preventing people from marrying the one they love is the same type of oppression we have fought before. It is really no different from the fight for women’s rights in the 19th century, or the marches for equality no matter what the color. We fought for equality and rights for others and hated the ones who dared to discriminate against them, yet we let our blind stupidity and fear of change fuel our thoughts on our neighbors and friends just because they are different. We claim to be a nation of free men yet we force shackles on each other. We cannot be a free nation until all men are free no matter what the gender, race or who they love. We cannot be free until we open our eyes and our hearts.