Contributing to Alaskan's Together...

[electrolass]

My partner and I are very glad we attended the open house.  My very first encounter of the evening was with Diane Benson.  I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Diane.  Jesse, the campaign manager, introduced himself and talked about the purpose of Alaskans Together.  I really liked what he had to say. 

What is marriage?  Who can ultimately sanctify it?  To what purpose does it benefit society?  What harm would giving gay coupes the right to benefit from it do to society?  These are all relevant questions that must be asked by gay and straight alike of we are to come to an agreement regarding the issue of gay marriage, domestic partnership or civil unions. 

Marriage in and of itself is a highly under-appreciated institution.  Does a marriage exist because of sex?  Certainly many marriages begin because of sexual attraction, but in the end, does that attraction keep people married?

Maybe  what angers most straight people about the question of marriage is not WHO should marry, but WHY isn't marriage more appreciated by our society.  I know of many straight couples who wanted to call it quits but chose to stay married to give their kids a decent life and in the process realized that true partnership really came down to shared goals and ideals.  Who appreciates their sacrifice?

How many of us have experienced the fire storm of sexual attraction at the onset of a relationship, only to have to deal with the reality of life with a partner after the sex has cooled?  Many I would suppose, and that is not so different from out straight friends.  In the end, what keeps us together far surpasses sex.  It is friendship and the need to have a bond that will last a lifetime.  The need for this bond helps us overlook our partners quirky side, and move on after a disagreement.   

If we, the GLBT community will dedicate ourselves in the next six weeks to asking and answering these questions, and volunteering as much of our time as  possible to the cause of Alaskans Together, then perhaps we can avoid being drawn into a fire fight of hurled invectives and name calling across fences that were erected by the ignorant and uninformed.  If we take the time to pull apart the  arguments of the conservative right, then we can control the dialogue, choosing to speak if we wish or to ignore their hateful rethoric and find a round table where are words will have a positive effect.