Love and Hope and all that accompanies such things

While I try to avoid politics, the current situation regarding the Supreme Court judges has again made me think about the harsh realities of living in a democracy. My biggest point of contention is with what I call the Legislation of Human Rights. Basically, I'm referring to any legislative acts intended to restrict the personal decisions of the individual. Under this broad description are such issues as gay marriage and abortion rights, among others. And allowing politicians to make decisions about such delicate issues gives me a case of the willies, to put it simply.

Needless to say, abortion and gay marriage are delicate subjects, not usually brought up at the dinner table. Most people feel strongly about them, and have a difficult time tolerating the opposing side's point of view. However, I can sum up the basis of my feelings on both subjects in two words: love and hope. Yes, I sound a bit like Pollyanna, but it's true. Give me a minute to explain.

When it comes to abortion, it is not a choice I would make for myself. I have a daughter and I love her dearly. I cannot imagine making a decision to end what is the beginning of a human life, because I know that I am a part of a family who will love and support me and my children, no matter what. It is the love of my family, and my love for my own child, that makes me so certain that abortion is not an option for me. However - I will not be the one to look in the eyes of a rape victim and tell her that she must carry and give birth to a child who is the product of a hateful act. I will not look into the face of a ten or twelve or fourteen year old girl and tell her that she will forever have to deal with the product of a mistake she made when she was but a child herself. I will not tell a drug addict that it is better for her to carry and give birth to a baby, knowing that in all likelihood she will not be able to avoid taking drugs during the course of her pregnancy. These women, and many others in different situations, deserve hope. They have the right to make a decision about their own lives, their own well-being, and their own happiness. They deserve the right to hope that someday, they won't have to deal with the pain of making such a decision. They deserve to be able to have some hope that their future will be brighter. So while abortion isn't something I can do, it isn't a right I will take away from them.

On the topic of gay marriage, I am a proponent of the idea, hands down. Simply put, I believe that marriage is based on love. I don't care if it's between a man and a woman, two men, two women, whatever. Love has no limits. It cannot be forced or confined. It simply is. And to take away the right of two people to publicly declare and celebrate their love for one another is ridiculous. And to take it a step further, it is a matter of legal rights. Gay and lesbian couples deserve the same legal protections as their heterosexual counterparts. They deserve to say who has the right to inherit their property, act as guardian to their children, or make medical decisions in the event of an accident. And in the event that their marriage isn't any more successful than the gazillion heterosexual unions that dissolve each year, they deserve the legal protections of divorce and alimony and custody and child support, and all that a marriage recognized by the government entails.

Love and hope is what it all boils down to, for me at least. Of course, I am something of a romantic, and have been accused of being in love with love. But if that's the worst that can be said about me - I'd say I'm doing pretty well. :)