Youth Politics

Torture is always an unsettling subject. No one likes torture. Okay, that might be a lie, but chances are most people are not in favor of being tortured or witnessing suffering. I know for a fact that I do not want American soldiers abroad being tortured. However, there seems to be a double standard when it comes to the US torturing war criminals.

It’s not REALLY a double-standard, but it feels a lot like one. The problem is we do not want our soldiers to be tortured, yet they are anyway. If the United States were to stop torturing suspected terrorists, would other countries stop torturing United States militants? The answer is clearly no, so there’s a really thin line between setting an example and treating others the way they treat you.

The one problem I have with torture is the fact that we are keeping SUSPECTED terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. Obviously I’m hinting at the fact that not all of the people kept there are necessarily terrorists, and furthermore, none of them have been convicted of being a terrorist as they have not been taken to court. Torturing actual terrorists? Fine. Torturing innocent people? Seems bad to me.

Obama pledged to have Guantanamo Bay shut down within his first 100 days of office. Now people are pissed off that he may not be able to uphold that campaign promise. Honestly, he shouldn’t have made such a promise in the first place. It’s sort of like Bush the First’s, “read my lips, no new taxes” clause. You can’t honestly expect anyone to uphold such a promise can you? Closing Guantanamo Bay is tricky business, and the fact of the matter is there are actual terrorists being held there.

The humanity of torture is always in question. The term “cruel and unusual punishment” always comes to mind. The show 24 is actually battling this very same dilemma and torture is now being questioned as an interrogation technique. I’m gonna be honest here, it works. There is no doubt in my mind that torture produces results. It may be ugly, but this wouldn’t even be up for debate if torture was not worth it.

Can torture be justified when the person being tortured has committed heinous crimes? Can it be justified when innocents may be subject to the very same?

I’d like to discuss marriage.

Now, I’ve never been married, nor have I ever considered it. I’m only 20, so this seems like a reasonable thing for me to say. When I think of marriage however, I think commitment. Marriage is a commitment to the one person that you love most, and signifies a promise of everlasting love and companionship with said person. That, to me, is what marriage is supposed to be. But is that what marriage is in the United States?

I get tired of people telling other people that they aren’t allowed to get married. Who gives you the right to decide who can and cannot get married? What I mean is this: there are plenty of people out there in the world who don’t want homosexuals to get married. My question is, why? Is it because it doesn’t fit into your definition of marriage?

Does getting married and then getting unmarried a few years later fit into your definition of marriage? Roughly 50 percent of Americans couples get divorced. That’s really high for a promise that’s supposed to last “til death do us part”. Straight folks don’t even want to stay married. There are lots of people who cringe at the mere fact of getting married. Who are divorced people to say who can and cannot get married, when they themselves can’t uphold to the values of marriage?

These are questions I ask myself and to others, because I think it’s extremely important to know why you’re fighting for a certain cause and why you believe you are absolutely 100 percent in the right. I understand the view point of those opposed to gay marriage. The arguments range anywhere from the definition of marriage to the whole slippery slope argument (people marrying their siblings, animals, inanimate objects?) I don’t think any of the arguments against gay marriage are any good nor are they valid, but that’s only my view on the matter.

My one true question for everyone is: How sacred is marriage, and is it important to you?

Oh, and a merry Christmas eve for those celebrating!

On Tuesday, California voters voted on several propositions to go along with the national election. Of these propositions, I’d like to talk about proposition 8.

What is proposition 8? If you haven’t already heard, it’s supposed to restore true family values and outlaw gay marriage in California. This would bring back the supposed traditional meaning of the word marriage, which is the union between a man and a woman in every religion I can think of.

Basically, California took a big step backwards when it comes to equal rights.

The problem for me is the fact that governments can define what is marriage. This should be impossible. I thought marriage was conducted by religions, and thus should be out of bounds for the government. The government should only define civil unions, which is much different from marriage. Religions can still choose who to marry, but everyone should enjoy the same tax benefits etc. as others. It’s only logical.

And let’s not get into any crap about keeping marriage sacred. Heterosexual couples have already screwed that up by divorcing 50% of the time here in the United States. How frikkin’ sacred is that then? People are already marrying up then giving up a few years later just to get back with someone else who they give up years later. Family values my @$$. Think about all of the children broken up by divorced families. It’s a nightmare.

Gay civil union would not impede on anyone else’s marriage rights nor would it impact anyone else’s lives at all. As far as we all are concerned, some gay couples are practically married besides the legal benefits, and they deserve those benefits as much as anyone else.

“Oh no, but they are sinning by wanting to be gay.” No one chooses to be gay, period. I couldn’t choose to be gay. It’s impossible. Others who are straight couldn’t choose to be gay. It doesn’t work. No one chooses to defy nature ok? If you still believe people choose to be gay, you’re brainwashed. I like women. I will never stop liking women. No matter how hard I try I will never be able to change that. That’s simply how my body reacts. With gay people it’s the same deal. They happen to like the same sex, and it’s not by choice. Children don’t choose to be gay, that’s simply not something they are thinking about doing actively. Just like you didn’t actively choose to like whichever gender you happen to like.

I’m not even going to mention that there are many, many species that have homosexual relations. It just… happens. Just like cancer just happens, and I’m not going to incriminate people just because they have cancer.

And don’t give me crap about a slippery slope, either. There is no slippery slope. Two consenting adults want a civil union, there’s no slippage there. People aren’t going to win arguments to marry siblings, animals, or inanimate objects. There’s simply no legal basis for that, and those things are stupid anyway.

Again, if your religion doesn’t support gay marriage, fine. I have no qualms with that. But the legal system should not be defining marriage anyway; it should only allow for civil unions. I’m pretty sure that’s something everyone can live with.

Here’s a story about some rights groups challenging the ban:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27557521/

Got a differing opinion, or do you agree? Let me know in a comment below.