Dear Senator Rick Santorum,
May I have a word with you about my marriage?
Just so you know upfront, Senator, I am a gay man. I am also legally married to another man. This past November, we celebrated our third wedding anniversary in New Orleans and also celebrated 10 years - 10 YEARS! - of being a couple.
So, I have to tell you of my disgust at hearing you disparage my marriage during your campaign stops in New Hampshire. If you will, Senator, follow me over the jump so that I can tell you why your words are not only hurtful, but also wrong.
You tried to portray my marriage as something that would lead to polygamy. Perhaps you aren't aware, Senator, but polygamy has been around since well before the beginning of written history. Your platitude that gay marriage is the gateway to polygamy is vile. Polygamy is alive and well, sir. May I suggest you read up on King David and King Solomon in the Hebrew Scriptures. Rumor has it they have more than one wife. In fact, they had a lot more than one wife (plus plenty of concubines).
In the past, you have also said that allowing gay marriage will lead to legalized bestiality. The exact phrase you used was "man on dog." Really, Senator? That is where your mind is? My husband and I are consenting adults. A dog is not a consenting adult nor does it have the capacity to enter into a contract like marriage. Besides, like polygamy, bestiality already exists. Perhaps you missed the story about this guy who says his sexual encounters with mules and watermelons are behind him. I am sure you and I can both agree that we are happy to hear that.
You have also said that gay marriage is also a gateway to incest. I would say you can't honestly believe this, but, alas, I am afraid you do. Perhaps, Senator, you may wish to educate yourself that incest has been alive and kicking forever.
But what shocked me most, Senator, is that you called marriage a "privilege." I have no idea where you got that idea, and it certainly isn't something that most people agree with. In fact, our very own Supreme Court has stated over and over again that marriage is a right.
Let's say, for the sake of the argument, that marriage is a "privilege." Perhaps you can explain to me how honorable or noble or sanctified this "privilege" can be when all you need to be bestowed that privilege is an ID and some cash. I don't know about you, Senator, but buying your way into a privilege doesn't seem as enticing as you would have us believe.
At the end of the day, Senator, I don't particularly care what you think my marriage will lead to because I am in my marriage for some very good reasons, none of which have to do with furthering the cause of polygamy or incest or bestiality.
I will tell you directly, Senator, that my marriage is just as good as yours. I am passionately in love with my husband. I would willingly give up my life for him, Senator. I honor, cherish, adore and love this wonderful man who came into my life and rekindled joy in my heart, a joy that I thought had long been extinguished.
Perhaps your marriage is different, Senator, but my husband is my best friend, my confidant, my soul mate, my companion, my lover, and the guy I would hang out with all the time even if we weren't married. We share common hopes and common dreams and common concerns.
Ultimately, Senator, I don't believe you for one second when you state that your opposition to my marriage is about a slippery slope that will lead to "man on dog." No, sir, this is about you being hysterically afraid of homosexuals. Someday, perhaps, you will do some soul searching and be honest with yourself.
While you are at it, perhaps you can find some understanding in your dark soul that a marriage isn't about the genitalia involved, but it is about the love, the commitment, the passion, the honor, and the shared dreams. I doubt you will even try, Senator.
You have convinced yourself that gays are the boogeymen and women of America and that you are the only thing standing between those filthy homos and the complete destruction of the American idea.
I would like to say that I am surprised, Senator, but I am not. After all, you have also convinced yourself that some of your best friends are gay.
So, you go right ahead with your scare tactics, Senator. Meanwhile, I will be over here, with my husband, being there for him, supporting him, loving him, providing him a shoulder to cry on, and some nice lips to kiss.
And despite your concerns, Senator, there will be no polygamy, incest, or bestiality involved.
I hope you won't be too disappointed.
9:20 AM PT: My goodness! Can't a hard-working, paycheck-to-paycheck, homosexually-married guy get some sleep and not wake up on the Rec List and in the Community Spotlight? Well, I guess not!
On behalf of myself and my husband, thank you all very much for the kind comments and the recs.
My marriage, in fact, all of our marriages - gay or straight - are under fire from people like Rick Santorum. We will continue to fight and we will win.