Intense gay marriage debate on Facebook

straight man vs. gays/lesbians get into a heated discussion

If you are hetrosexual, and you claim to love your Gay friends and family, you should want us to have the same rights and freedoms as you. If you say that, and vote against US, and it is US, its who we are, because of some belief you have, you're just giving us lip service and making yourself feel better about truly being a homophobe.

Someone then went on to call him “awful judgemental.”

He then responded that
I don't believe it is, what I believe is that people saying that they love someone and then voting against thier basic civil rights is very judgemental and also hypocritical.
I couldn't give a rat's ass why they oppose it.. If they want to use religion as a justification, they might wish to consider that religion was (and still is) used subjugate women. It was been used to condone slavery, incest, bigamy and a host of other ills. yeah, that's a great way to stand on principle.
Right is right and wrong is wrong. I don't care why those white folks in Montgomery back in the day were opposing the bus boycott and I don't care why people today want me to be quiet and go away. It's not going to happen. 

I've attempted civil discourse with anti-rights people (some in my own family) and their straw man and invalid arguments while they are wrapped up in an American flag with the Battle Hymn of the Republic playing in the background.  Denying marriage to same-sex couples removes from one group a fundamental, important human right -- the right to marry the person that one loves and to whom one has made a commitment. That is unfair and unjust in a democracy.
The commenter went on to say “Yes, it is. Your statement groups all heterosexuals into the same corral. I for one don't appreciate being put on the same corral as a homophobe, and it makes those of us who have compassion for your cause believe that your anger is misplaced.”  “Reverse the order and you have this: "If you are a homosexual and claim to be his friend/love your straight friends and vote against heterosexuals having equal rights, then you're a heterophobe." It's the "YOU ARE" part of the statement that I have issue with ... Read Moreno matter if you're homosexual or heterosexual. I know of plenty of people who do love their gay family members/friends, but don't support their lifestyle. That doesn't make them bad, it makes them different. And, from a group that's been unjustly persecuted for being "different", I would think there would be a lot less judgmentalness on its part. But, when there's deep anger there, it's hard to get past that.”
But it came with some good comments afterwards:
Sorry, but you are presenting the typical straw man argument. Being gay is not a "lifestyle", and that is the problem I have with your position. I was born this way, just as you were born (I'm assuming) straight. Truly reverse the positions here, and your argument would really go this way: "I love you but I can't support you choosing a straight lifestyle and wanting to marry a straight woman".  Makes no sense, does it?  Using the term "lifestyle" implies a choice, when there isn't one. A "lifestyle" is a choice, such as choosing to be a swinger, or choosing to do drugs, or choosing to do any number of things.  Being gay is none of those things. And yes, there is anger, that we as citizens are being denied the same rights you and every straight person enjoys in all 50 states. In fact, any straight person can marry and divorce as many times as they wish.... Read More It's time we stopped "dithering around" to borrow a phrase from the teabaggers, and hold politicians' feet to the fire until we enjoy all the same rights as every other citizen, and nothing less. After all, we pay the same taxes as everyone else, but are denied the tax cuts and other benefits marriage gives.
The discussion got heated once again:
You want me to quote the Bible verses used? Where do I begin? Leviticus? Romans? Is that what you've been wanting all night long? Someone to read the Bible to you? How dare you not think we do not know the words that are flung into our faces every goddamn day of our lives.

What I know is Paul Weyrich, Joseph Coors, and others began organizing in the late 1970s. Their allies with the John Birch Society and various other anti-communist groups needed a new boogieman. Weyrich figured out that gays could be used as a wedge issue to unite Southerners and have them leave the Democratic Party and become Republicans. To do that they began a scare job against homosexuals, such as with Anita Bryant's crusade. Ever since then they have used the same Biblical verses and the same fear tactics to manipate opinion.

I know why they're against gay marriage, I know who taught them to be scared of such happening, I know the keywords and phrases they use to instill terror within the fundamentalists. I've read the documents, watched the videos, and listened to the sermons and speeches. So I understand why they believe in what they do, but I also understand the lies and schemes from which that arose and therefore offer that their reasoning is both invalid and based on falseties.  While you've been writing about sports, I've been in the trenches. This is my life and I know my enemy. I know what they think and what they do. I know their rationale is irrational. I don't have to ask a black man why someone calls him a n****r, nor do I need to ask him not to judge those who call him that.   All the time there's someone there just like you. The "Hey brother BLACK POWER! GIVE ME FIVE!! Yeah! I know a black guy and I'm behind you all the way!!" type.

You'll never understand. When the day is done you get to lie in your bed with your wife after kissing the tax deductions in the next room good night. We're out here fearing that the campaign based on lies will cause the sheriff to come take our children. We're out here wondering what happens if we get sick, will our families take everything and leave our partners homeless? Will my partner get to hold my hand as I die? Will I have to attend one more child's funeral because they weren't the right type and if someone didn't kill them for it, they did it to themselves?

Don't you dare sit there and tell us we do not have the right to judge people who bring evil into our lives.   You may have all your civil rights, but this is one right you do not have prick. 
And I really loved these comments:
I addressed it. Perhaps not in the way you wanted it addressed, but the indictment against hetrosexuals who stand silent as homosexuals are beaten, killed, denied housing, jobs, access to their children, access to their loved ones in time of illness, the ability to marry, to enjoy the over 1000 tax benefits that straight people take for granted- - and have the unmitigated gall to say "Oh, we care about gay people" is disingenuous and downright nauseating
And this one…
Were you given the opportunity to vote for or against gay marriage, which way would you go? As for - do gays understand why some heteros are against gay marriage - no we don't. But that's because they've not been able to come up with a valid reason yet.
It gets heated for awhile with some words told here and there but ended on a good note:
My post was what some have very eloquently stated, that you cannot love someone and be against, and vote against their very being. This is about OUR LIVES, if that offends someone because of their religious beliefs, that is there problem, the problem is you are keeping me from getting married, joining the military, adopting children and the like (not that I have any inclination to do any of those things at the moment). I do know where the other side is coming from, and just as I would stand up for them for THIER right to practice religion, they need to realize that their biblical argument holds no water, and any other argument you come up with is just mindless and ignorant. Yes, you can believe that "men shouldn't lie together", but there are those that believe you shouldn't be able to worship as you choose either. Yes, there is deep-scented anger, because once again, it’s OUR LIVES we are talking about. Rave, I have to disagree, that both sides can be right. One side, by their actions and the way they vote are denying a whole sector of the population their basic civil rights. You are right, Felecia, a vote of the people should not decide how others live, and it’s not the GLBT community that is saying put it to the vote. In both California and Maine, the courts decided what was right, and the opposition put it to a vote.  I love you dearly but I cannot see how anyone would think one of their children, one of the people they produced and raised and loved should be denied anything the rest of their children shouldn't. I would think that a parent's love would outweigh any teachings I had been taught. I said IF, that is the key word, if you are straight and our are friend and have our back, we appreciate it more than anything in the world.
Once again, Thanks for the dialogue and I love and respect you all....