My soapbox is better than your soapbox.

Hello readers! I apologize for my absence. It's been a bit crazy with our office moving. Hopefully I'll have more time in the coming days and weeks.

I'm working on a few projects right now, but one of my favorite new hobbies is making jewelry (and courtesy of the fabulous Molly, I have a TON more beads to work with!). I've posted a few of my photos on Facebook, if you're interested. I've been pretty happy with how they've turned out so far. I think most of my Christmas gifts to others this year are going to be handmade. I wont get into too many other details since some of you will be getting some.

I do, however, need you to indulge me for a moment. I don't often get on a political or social high horse, but in this case, it is pretty dang warranted.

Now, I don't keep up with much pop culture. Mostly, because it makes me incredibly angry. There are people out there who are famous not because they have a talent, or cured a disease, or are even giving back to the greater good. I can think of no better example than Heidi Montage (we can just call her Barbie though) and her on again, off again "husband", Spencer Pratt. These two are absolute scum. They go around staging outings and are making far too much money from the paparazzi. Apparently, they've recently gotten re-married. To one another. Again.

Cue rant.

I have many gay friends who have been in stable relationships for longer than these two have even been alive. They can't get married. The law TELLS them they cannot. No matter how much in love they are, no matter how long they've been together. Their love isn't good enough to be recognized by the law. People tell them it's because we need to protect the sanctity of marriage. If that's true, why are yahoos like this more plastic version of Barbie and Ken allowed to go through the process as often as they'd like? You've seriously got to be kidding me. Why is that alright?!

I think the worst part of all of it is that most of the real reasons are just lies. Gay people don't jump from bed to bed any more than straight people do. Gay people don't have STDs any more than straight people do (in fact, the largest number of people with AIDS in the US are white, heterosexual males.) Marrying 2 people of the same sex will NOT lead to people marrying furniture or animals. We're not talking about a desk and a pig. We're talking about two humans of sound mind, entering into a bond that will be recognized by the government. Why are we fighting this so much?

As a child, I used to think about the people in the civil rights movement, or people living during slavery. I used to think "if I were living in a time like that, would I do the right thing? Or would I be too scared to voice my opinion or help those who needed it?" Well, I truly believe that we're all presented with one of those situations right now. It's all about fairness. It shouldn't have anything to do with religion (after all, it would be illegal to make laws based on religious doctrine, you know, according to that pesky Constitution thing we've got) and it shouldn't have anything to do with personal opinion. If you're against gay marriage for any reason, then don't marry someone of the same sex. That should pretty much take care of itself.  If two gay guys or gals get married, my marriage isn't going to falter or be any less sacred. If someone claims that theirs is, then they never should've gotten married in the first place.

I know that not everyone agrees with me. That's fine. I'm not asking you to go and hug the first same-sex couple you see. What I am asking is for people to see reason. This is a matter of treating everyone fairly. Heterosexual people are no "better" than homosexual people. It all boils down to letting people have the same rights no matter if they're married to a man or a woman.

So, the next time you hear that tired old argument that we need to "protect marriage", think about our good friends Heidi and Spencer and ask how they're "love" is worthy of the title.

And now, I step off my high horse. My apologies to anyone I've offended. Well, not really, but whatever.

I hope everyone has a very happy and safe Thanksgiving surrounded by your loved ones. Gobble gobble!