The country has been in a new civil rights struggle for a while, but it is finding its way to the forefront now. The president’s proposal for a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning gay marriage has divided people into many factions, and is the wrong idea for three reasons.

First of all, this issue intertwines church and state, which, through the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, is not supposed to occur.

Marriage is an obviously personal and religious matter. The government should not be involved in determining which two adults can or cannot be married.

If a church does or does not recognize gay marriage, so be it. Church and state must remain separated as they were originally intended to be. This is one of the characteristics of the United States that sets it above and apart from other nations.

Second, why are our legislators spending their time and our money on this issue when there are so many others requiring immediate attention? Not only is the federal government looking into this amendment, but so are state governments, including that of Iowa.

In a time when many local schools have reduced the sizes of faculty and staff and have students without textbooks, it is an insult that our tax dollars are being spent for the amendment argument rather than more urgent needs.

Finally, many people argue that gay marriage should not be allowed because it threatens the strongest, natural family structure of a mother, father and their children.

I agree that gay marriage will not provide this optimal arrangement of a family. However, over half of heterosexual marriages end in divorce — how strong of a family structure does this create?

If a pair of men or pair of women are willing to struggle through public scrutiny and hatred to be together, more than likely, their bond is stronger than those of the majority of heterosexual couples.

If two people want to be together in a religion that will recognize their union, let them do it. Children involved in the relationship will be loved the same and be stronger because of it.

State and federal legislators, please find other, more productive, uses for your time. The U.S. Constitution is intended for granting rights to people, not eliminating them.

Hindering citizens from living their own lives is not what your constituents are paying you to do. Focus on the real, legitimate issues this state and nation are facing.

Nick Ford

Alumnus

Ames