Yes, I'm being an asshole. Massachusetts should be roundly applauded for the courage to stand up for what's right. Consider - what is the issue? What is marriage? Why do people get married? I'm hoping that most people get married, first, because they want to, not because they feel they have to. A marriage therefore is about a relationship between two people who enjoy each other's company so much that they offer to share their lives, assets, good and bad times together. People don't have to get married to do this. There are certain legal benefits to doing so but arguably a marriage is optional. People can spend their lives together without getting married.

Another reason people get married is kids. That is, some get married because they had kids out of wedlock and getting married legitimizes the children. Getting married just to have kids doesn't make sense. Kids can occur from a marriage but should not be the reason for the marriage.

Nowhere in the above two reasons for marriage do I mention gender of the couple. It's irrelevant. Plain and simple.

Back to kids, which has the greater potential stigma for a kid? Having two parents of the same sex, or having two parents - different sex - but unmarried? I'd say the latter holds a lot more ammunition for childhood torment. Why not pass a law that says if you have children out of wedlock you must get married? We don't because it doesn't make sense. People have kids out of wedlock all the time, not necessarily for the best of reasons but it happens. I don't hear much screaming on this topic.

Some "regular" couples can't have kids so the argument that marriage is in support of procreation doesn't hold. Some "regular" couples have kids but really shouldn't - they're just not ready for the responsibility. Conversely, many same-sex couples are not only wanting of kids but offer as good an environment for raising kids as "regular" couples. It's highly ironic that the puckered Right screams to make abortion and birth control illegal, screams that there are too many orphan babies, and then makes it impossible to place these kids in loving households. It's a matter of responsibility. Many same-sex couples are willing and capable to accept the responsibilties of marriage and parenthood. Thank you Massachusetts for the brave step forward.