Where is the fury?

I spent last week hosting 2 marriage equality events - one was at the Gershwin Theatre in NYC, and the other at The Palace in Somerset, NJ. I grew up in NJ and never thought that it would be in the forefront of gay rights. I remember wanting to get out and move to NYC where "real" people lived. Little did I know there were more people like me in the garden state than I'd ever imagined. I am thrilled that we are almost there in New Jersey and New York, but I am outraged that we have to fight this fight.

I used to not care about getting married, or having kids for that matter. Now that I am a parent - a gay parent - I am extremely involved in the fight for marriage equality. How can anyone say that my family is not entitled to the same rights as a "traditional family?" I have news for you. My family is bound in tradition. We have a kosher kitchen (I cheat outside the house, but don't tell my kids), we have Shabbat dinners on friday nights, Henry is becoming a Bar Mitzvah in September, Ben and Henry both attend Hebrew school - and that's just the religious stuff. We have basketball games, soccer games, baseball games, parent-teacher conferences - everything that the "traditional family" has, except one thing - equal rights. 

I cannot believe people are not more outraged. We are living in the USA in 2009 and people who have been together for 40 years have no rights to their partner's social security benefits, inheritance exemptions and have to be questioned non-stop by hospital employees about whether or not a person is entitled to be at the bedside of his or her dying partner. Come on people!! Where is the anger? 

Look at my family through the eyes of my child and then maybe you can understand why this is so damn infuriating. Why do I have to pay taxes and then be treated like this? Why can't I grow up and get married to the person I love - just like every other straight person.  And yes, it should be called marriage - not civil union - not domestic partnership - MARRIAGE.  Separate is not equal.  Britney Spears can get married for 55 hours and I can't? Convicted felons can get married and I can't? Pedophiles can get married and I can't? HELLO?!!!!!! Do I have to wait until my kids grow up and change the laws because their generation gets it? I certainly hope not. 

I can't believe I'm mad at Bill Clinton - but DOMA was the worst thing he ever did - yes - even worse then getting that stupid blow job in the oval office.