"Equal Rights" Which are Already Equal

equal (adjective): "like for each member of a group, class or society" (Miriam-Webster).

I checked the number of friends I have on facebook. One hundred and seventy three people, all of whom I know personally. I expect that number to potentially drop after this inaugural post. I have ever been disillusioned with elections, protests and movements in general because of the "mob mentality" that takes over after issues arise. I have observed that these mobs will grab onto buzzwords, phrases or some perceived statement of nobility and shout it from every rooftop, believing fully that they are changing the world with the depth of their understanding of an issue or policy. While these mobs have shouted a great many things over the years, the current favorite, it seems, is "equal rights." Bear in mind, I am not writing for or against any specific issue, and I fully support equal rights, but I'm speaking out against the way that issues are being presented. While the hot topic of same-gender marriage will be the means used to show my point, it is not the focus of this post.

A great many people are shouting for "equal rights" with regards to same-gender marriage. In doing so, to the casual follower of issues, it appears a cross section of people are not being treated equally. They therefore must be second class citizens. This idea stirs memories or facts learned about inequalities of other demographics based on gender or race. Yet in looking at the issue, rights are already equal. They're perfectly equal, in fact. What is desired is a change in policy, and it should be called as such. I, as a heterosexual male, cannot marry another man. Another man, who wants to marry a man, also cannot do so. I am free to marry a consenting female of legal age. A man who is attracted to other men can also marry a consenting female of legal age. Our rights are equal. Our desires are not. The core desire of this specific campaign is that the bounds of who can marry whom be changed, regardless of sexual orientation. That is what should be pushed, because that is the goal. I find it extremely difficult to follow any campaign that mixes these the ideas of equality and desire into the same idea.

Why do campaigners feel the need to coddle the masses? Are we viewed as so dense, so unlearned that we cannot handle truth in its purest form? Or are they bringing so many undesirable ideas to the table that the only hope of passing laws is to wrap them in falsehoods? Confusion seems to be the order of the day with emotion fueling debates instead of facts. I would wager that a great many people who have aligned themselves with issues could not fill three minutes explaining, with facts alone, why they are aligned as they are. The war in Iraq, same-gender marriage, abortions, capital punishment, new healthcare and more are all issues that have been discussed heavily in policy and assuredly will continue to be, but what do people really know about them? How much outside of the buzzwords and catch phrases? "We gotta kill them al-Qaeda in Iraq and free the oil" or "We have no business being in Iraq." "Abortion is murder" or "Life begins at conception." "Obamacare will kill us all" or "Finally, we'll all have healthcare." Most people know where they stand on these issues, but far less could explain why. Were they purely emotional decisions or were they made by honest delivery of sound belief and study of facts surrounding the issue?

Again, the marriage issue is the vehicle by which I am discussing the misuse of "equality," which is only a specific example of one of my many gripes with politics and policy changes. Supporting issues and people who tell half truths and whole lies is tiresome, as it forces any honest seeker of understanding to wade through mounds of falsehoods in order to see what true intentions are. Words are powerful. To quote from V for Vendetta, "...while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth." When these words are used carelessly, "those who will listen" are turned away. Politics are becoming increasingly revolting, and I find it difficult to imagine the great leaders we remember playing the political games that are now so commonplace. Sound off if you agree or disagree; this is my current viewpoint, and is subject to change as my understanding increases. I'm welcoming to the exploration of new ideas, but I immediately doubt the intelligence of those who lead off a difference of opinion with blind insults.