Indeed the day was exceptional, even historical, as the Supreme Court of the United States confirmed that it is legal and lawful for two people of the same sex to bind themselves in marriage.
There was great celebration as rainbow-tinted profile photos in Facebook as well as other expressions of support exploded in social media. The Supreme Court action was groundbreaking as this sent signal to the rest of the world that a world power has confirmed the validity of such unions of individuals still considered aberrant and perverse by various institutions and societies.
Together with such announcements come vehement reactions. Threats of pastors dousing gasoline on their persons and burning themselves alive as signs of protest were --- well, declared --- then eventually retracted. Reactions from the ultra-conservatives were equally vehement, branding the move as an obvious sign of moral deterioration and even the death of society as known.
There were those who considered the acknowledgment of the union of two men and two women together as a perversion and a mockery of the sacraments, again citing that all-too-tired reference to Sodom and Gomorrah and ushering in all the signs cited in the Revelations.
In all honesty, the only surprising turn of events is that people are still surprised that people are reacting.
There will always be a reaction to change. It is not a matter of the kind of indoctrination that segments of population have grown accustomed --- but it is the disturbance, the isostasy of what is deemed as moral order that generates such violent responses.
And the point is that we must now all just calm down--- and accept.
We must accept the fact that some people are ecstatic --- and others are rabid.
We must accept the inevitability of two opposing forces that will never agree on an issue which is not only based on legality but morality and spirituality as well.
Screaming at each other because of differences in beliefs is the stuff that eventually start petty and end up as wars.
The LGBT Community has every right to be jubilant--- because this is not about the state recognizing that two people regardless of gender can be acknowledged and accredited as a legal personality. This means that years of being together and acquiring joint properties can now be recognized as conjugal ownership. This, on all accounts, is very important to protect the rights of individuals as citizens.
Over and above this, the state recognizes that two people have the right to be together --- because they choose to do so because they love each other.
But the conservatives do not see it this way because of the way they perceive the concept of unions. For them, marriage is matrimony. And, as cited by a Church official ... matrimony is founded on motherhood as two individuals are bound together by a sacrament in order to pro-create. Oo nga naman. It will take more than a blessing of SCOTUS to enable two people of the same gender to continue our species. Or as a tired joke goes, maybe this is indeed the solution to overpopulation.
Yet before the gay militants go completely ballistic, we must also take time to understand where the conservatives are coming from --- and why they argue this way. Yes, we do not agree with them when they accuse same-sex unions as a desecration of matrimony --- or the corruption of the nuclear family. That is because they are talking in behalf of institutions --- and arguing in terms of dogmas that validate the identities of their affiliations whereas gays are simply requesting that they be acknowledged in the legality of their chosen lifestyle.
There is no easy conclusion to this as arguments, condemnations and even juvenile heckling will continue. There will always be pastors threatening the world with self-immolation ... and there is, of course, Sarah Palin. And there will be to the other side insisting, "Let us be! Respect us for our choices!"
Both can validate their arguments --- as well as negate the other. Both sides may choose to listen ... but what is sad is when they only hear what they choose to accept.
So what can we learn from all this?
Maybe just that. A little bit more understanding. A little bit more compassion. A little bit more acceptance ... and not merely tolerance. And, despite all twists and turns involving the repercussions to societies ... and the world in general --- a little bit more respect for each other.
After all, the arguments that arose from both sides are founded on a single notion: love between people.
And sometimes ... no, often ... argumentation and disagreements are also founded on loving each other.
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