CNN iReport

I was raised understanding people are different and not just tolerance but acceptance. The difficult part of this though is living in a nation that proclaims "liberty and justice for all" yet denies many citizens equal rights under the law. I just do not, and will not, ever understand this.

I am not sure how it is right that my gay and lesbian friends and fellow citizens are not protected by the same rights I have. I am a heterosexual who has been married 3 times (24 years this last time), how is that ok but homosexuals can not marry? I know many gay and lesbian couples who are very dear friends and have been in long lasting loving relationships as long as I have been married to my husband!

What is it people are afraid of? We are bombarded with sexually explicit ads for things like shampoo, toothpaste and the like but somehow homosexual marriage is a bad thing? Are we a country of equality for all or not? And why on earth are we even allowed to vote on who gets rights in this country and who doesn't? Are you kidding me?!  Mob rules is not exactly how we managed to get where we are today, with a black President. Surely if we have come that far we can finally give all adult citizens the right to marry whatever adult they choose?

Marriage is a legal contract but also one of love. It is not religious to many of us, certainly even if it is the seperation of church and state should come to play in this.  And civil rights, geeze why would any of us allow civil rights to be surpressed? Don't people understand if you allow one group to have their rights removed (or never given) you risk the same for everyone? Are we a just nation or not? If not let's stop pretending we are.