Wednesday letters: Marriage means more than it used to

In Rusty DePass’ March 11 letter (“Everybody knew it was all make-believe”), he says he believes that same-sex marriage is not marriage, and that calling it that is pretend. He began his piece with a fascinating anecdote about children holding a make-believe marriage. There was a bride, a groom and a minister. But, as he noted, no one there was actually married, and everyone knew that.

To equate a childhood game with adult, meaningful relationships is derisive, and shows that he has no respect for same-sex couples.

He says that lawyers are “torturing” the word marriage, after thousands of years of traditional marriage, to mean more than what it is supposed to be. But the definition of marriage has already changed. Marriage is now, in America, more about partnership, more about loving and caring for another person, and having them be there to love and care for you.

It really is a conversation about love. By restricting marriage to only heterosexual couples, he is restricting love and placing an unnecessary burden on millions of men, women and children who grew up or are living in same-sex families.

One of the integral parts of American culture is our ability to be fluid, to adapt and innovate. That is why we grew beyond 13 colonies, and why we continue to prosper as a nation. Why should the foundation of our country be rooted in a thousand-year-old definition? I think it is time for a change. Will he join me?

Greenville

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Wednesday letters: Marriage means more than it used to."