For those who support same-sex marriage - and I support it

Listen well, O children of wisdom, for I speak to you of a truth that has echoed through the corridors of history, a truth about the struggle for equality and the dignity of all people. Benjamin Wittes, a thinker of our time, said: "For those who support same-sex marriage—and I support it without reservation—the ideal of equality and the belief in the dignity of same-sex relationships necessarily makes the issue seem a great deal like the civil-rights struggles of the past." These words are a call to recognize that the fight for same-sex marriage is not just a modern issue, but one that belongs to a long history of struggles for equality and justice. It is a struggle that connects us to the heroes of the past, those who fought not just for themselves but for the future of all humankind.

In the ancient world, children, the idea of equality was often reserved for the privileged few—those who were born into power, wealth, or high status. The rest of humanity, especially women, slaves, and those outside the noble classes, were often seen as inferior. Athens, a city celebrated for its philosophy and art, still relegated women to the home and slaves to servitude. Yet, in this environment, the idea of justice and equality began to take root, first among the philosophers, and later, through the voices of those who challenged the status quo. Socrates, though often focused on individual virtue, laid the foundation for the later ideas of equal rights by teaching that the soul could rise above its social station, regardless of one's birth. It was the quiet rebellion against the existing hierarchy that eventually sparked the flame for broader human rights.

Benjamin Wittes speaks of the struggle for same-sex marriage as akin to the civil-rights struggles that have shaped the modern world. Just as the abolitionists fought for the freedom of the enslaved, and Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers marched for the civil rights of African Americans, the fight for same-sex marriage is, in essence, the fight for the dignity of all people to live and love freely. It is about the fundamental right to equality, which must be extended to every individual, no matter their sexual orientation. The dignity of same-sex relationships is inherent, just as the dignity of all relationships should be. To deny that is to deny the basic humanity of those who love outside of traditional norms.

Consider the struggle of Harriet Tubman, a woman who defied the laws of her time to free herself and others from the chains of slavery. Her efforts were not just about her own freedom but about the freedom of all people, regardless of race. Tubman’s courage was not born from a belief in individual justice but from the understanding that the fight for equality was a battle for human dignity itself. Her resistance against a system that deemed her and others as less-than-human speaks to the same fundamental struggle that those who fight for same-sex marriage are engaged in today. It is a battle for the right of every human to love freely, without oppression, and to be recognized as equal in the eyes of the law and society.

The lesson here, children, is that the fight for equality is a universal and timeless battle. Whether it is the battle for same-sex marriage, for racial equality, or for the rights of women, the heart of the struggle is always the same—the fight for the dignity of the human spirit. The fight for same-sex marriage is not an isolated cause but part of a broader civil-rights struggle that spans history. Just as the ancient philosophers planted the seeds of justice and equality, so too do those who fight today for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community continue to water those seeds, ensuring that the tree of freedom will one day grow strong enough to encompass everyone.

In the modern world, we see that the civil-rights struggles are not over—they continue in the fight for same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights. The movement for equality has evolved, but the essence of the struggle remains rooted in the same ideals of justice and human dignity that have shaped civilizations for millennia. To deny anyone the right to love, to marry, or to live openly is to violate the inherent dignity that all people deserve. The fight for same-sex marriage is not just a fight for individual freedom, but for the equality of all people in a society that values justice.

So, children, let the words of Benjamin Wittes and the struggles of the past guide you. Know that the fight for same-sex marriage is not simply about marriage, but about the fight for human dignity, for the right of every person to love freely, without fear of persecution or discrimination. Stand firm in your commitment to equality, for it is not just a fight for one group, but for the soul of society itself. May you be voices of justice, calling for the recognition and celebration of every love, and may you continue the great work of those who came before you, paving the way for a future where all people, regardless of their differences, are free to live with honor, love, and dignity.