altivo

This little story has been on the back burner since Saturday while other larger things got posted. Partner was playing at the farmer's market in Woodstock on Saturday, and I went to join him and our friend with whom he performs for lunch. As I entered the square, I thought I saw two guys crossing the street half a block away that I knew. "Couldn't be," I told myself. We hadn't seen them for at least seven or eight years and they live in Chicago. Went and sat while Gary and Rob finished their set and between songs Gary looked up at me and said, "Steve and Terry are here."

I turned around, and sure enough, they were standing behind me. Steve is an ex-colleague of Gary's, and I have known the two of them since about 20 years ago, when we all were members of GATES (Gay Alliance of Technicians, Engineers, and Scientists.) Gary has known them even longer. Anyway, they joined us for lunch and we had a fine time catching up on things. The highlight of the news for me was their announcement that last year, on their 25th anniversary, they "ran away" to Toronto and got married (since the stupid Bible-thumping U.S. won't let two men marry each other) and then went to Niagara Falls for their "honeymoon". They said Niagara Falls was too crowded, too expensive, and way overrated, BTW.

Now here is the question for all you straight-laced, hard-headed, intolerant people who keep insisting that allowing same sex marriage will somehow destroy the institution of matrimony: These two guys love each other and have been together for 25 years. That way exceeds the average lasting time of a heterosexual marriage in the sanctimonious and stupid USA. How can you say that recognizing their relationship will "destroy marriage"? My partner and I have been together for 23 years. Another couple we count as close friends, both scientists with doctorates, have been together for at least 24 years. And we all did this in spite of the intolerance, hatred, raised eyebrows, and insults hurled at us by American society in general. You heterosexuals who get married and make two or three offspring, then get tired of each other and divorce with much loud squabbling over money and child custody and visitation, who gets to keep the house and the overpriced vehicle, who gets to pay alimony... YOU are the ones who are destroying traditional marriage. We pose no danger to it at all.

Now here, because it's a rainbow and because I like