A Love No Less Great 

    Right now while everyone is getting ready for the Holidays, and all the celebrations and special times they bring, next years political pot is getting ready to boil over with issues. Among those issues will once again be Marriage. People loudly and profoundly will lend their voices to what “they” believe the definition of marriage should be and who should have the right to marry. Millions of dollars will pour into the campaigns, people will get angry, rude, offended, insulted and hurt on both sides of the issue. What so many seem to forget is that these are ALL real people, whether they are for or against, that are embroiled in this battle, they are part of our communities, they are neighbors, friends, co-workers and even sometimes family. I am not here to change anyone’s mind, it’s not for me to tell some else how they should view or think about an issue, however I would like to ask EVERYONE involved to open their minds to the other side. Take some time to actually sit down and talk to someone who’s view is different then yours on the issue of marriage, but don’t talk about marriage talk about your lives, your passions your families, your goals and what drives you. I think everyone will be amazed that we are all much more alike then we are different. We need to take the time to stop talking so much and maybe listen to the other person. If we all stop demonizing each other and try to understand why others are also so passionate about their views on marriage perhaps we could start closing the gap of understanding. The hate and intolerance that has been expressed on this issue should not be acceptable to anyone. Each and every one of us are important, unique individuals that add value to the world around us. If we start to understand each other more, maybe we will begin to see some compassion be born from all of this.  So let me share with you some things about my life. 

    My partner and I have been together for over 31 years. I can say without reservation that our lives together have paralleled that of most couples. We have shared the good and the bad times, the joys and the sorrows, financial challenges and great strides. We have suffered the loss of many friends and family members and held each other up through the pain. We watched as his children grew up into amazing adults and his grandsons into men we are extremely proud of. We have shared our lives with friends from all walks of life, we are thankful for each and everyone of them and for what they and their families are brought to our lives. We are currently fighting through serious health issues as my partner continues his 4-year battle with pancreatic cancer. But we stand strong together in our Faith, and rejoice in all the Blessings God has given us. So I guess at the end of the day they only thing I would like to say as people go forward dealing with their views on the issue of marriage, is that I can state with full faith and conviction that “Our love has been no less great then anyone else’s.”

The author, Charles Vazquez, is a City Councilman for Cathedral City, California and President of the Riverside County, California Log Cabin Republicans.