CNN iReport

I fail to understand how same-sex marriage can negatively affect the relationships of other people, gay or straight (I refer to the Defense of Marriage Act; defense of whose marriage? Does that mean that there are marriages so fragile that they will crumble if gay people are allowed to marry?). Marriage is a civil ceremony; people can choose to make it religious according to their own beliefs, but it is still a civil ceremony. A couple must be issued a license to wed, and must follow the state's laws to do so. Many people are married at city hall or the county clerk's office. Does that make the marriage of those people any less official than a couple who was married in a church? Of course not! The state recognizes both couples in the same way by law. So, how can a civil ceremony negatively affect mine or your relationship/marriage? It can't unless we obsess over it.

Maybe those gay people who are in happy, stable, monogamous relationships just make "religious" people jealous..? I don't know. I do know how terribly "religious" people talk about the gay community, like thay are the modern-day lepers of biblical times.

If not afforded the same rights as the rest of Americans, maybe gay people should not share the same responsibilities. For instance, if a person is going to be limited in her/his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness then maybe he/she should not have to pay the same taxes. It just seems pretty unfair to limit the rights of a certain group of American citizens just because one is jealous or uncomfortable.