No, not for me necessarily — you know better than to even suggest that. Rather, for all the couples who married in San Francisco yesterday (and today and for the last few days) through the wonderful order by new San Francisco mayor Newsom. Judging from the sheer number of couples, it’s obvious that this is not a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon. Can you imagine — think hard and try — what could happen if gay couples were allowed to marry? Have families? Live in a little house with a picket fence and send their kids to school every morning? How in the world could any conservative person who is true to his principles actually deny that? (Because, of course, the conservatives are not actually conservative at all. They’re just fascist.) What a dream world that would be, where everyone was equal and could engage in the pursuit of happiness.
Oh, wait — isn’t that what we’re already supposed to have?
Via boingboing, read this blog entry that describes the scene:
Zack and I applauded for the couples as they were married, and shook hands with them. The couples were as diverse in age as they were in dress: I saw a pair of women get married and was sure they were younger than I am. And I saw and was most touched by several weddings of people who had likely been waiting even longer than 18 years. Two women of my mother’s age, or a little older, were married right in front of me, and they started to cry. I almost started to cry, too.
We did see history. We saw a dozen or two dozen people get married on Valentine’s Day, who all very badly wanted to and who got their chance.
A journalist in the hallway said “When I got married, my wife made me sit around and plan the wedding for months and months. She made me work out every detail. So I’m kind of jealous or kind of frustrated that people would just wake up in the morning and get married. But if you look into these people’s eyes, you don’t want to deny them this.”
This is my favorite photo of yesterday’s weddings. How sappy and conservative… it’s a picture of a family.
Even more pictures here.
All of this is making me smile. I’m so happy for all these people. It’s so nice to see love triumph over cynicism. What makes me sad is that come next week, it’s likely to all be over. And all those married couples will once again have to face the truth — that although they may be married in the eyes of their family, friends, and — yes — God, the government won’t recognize it.
