Thank You, New York

Tonight, the state of New York has officially legalized same-sex marriage. The fight for equal rights is one step closer to being won.

And of course, as with any mention of the LGBT community at all, the haters come pouring in. And by haters, I mean hateful, bigoted, bible-heads who are quick to remind us that this is apparently a Christian nation, governed by the one and only God. Not Congress.

Despite the fact that the First Amendment clearly states that Congress shall make no law respecting any religion. Despite the fact that we have separation of church and state. Despite the fact that nobody is required to be forced to worship your God.

God is not going to punish us. I highly doubt an all-loving God would ever harm any of His people simply because they are looking beyond this outdated concept of inequality and hatred.

The "fags," as you say, are not ruining this nation, as you also say. The fact that they now have the same constitutional rights as you shouldn't make your own pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness any more difficult. They may be fags, but at least they're not hating anybody for being themselves. At least they don't harrass people they don't know, for things beyond their control.

What they REALLY do, is exactly what you do, minus the hate.

To the people who voted "yes" on this bill, thank you. To the people who voted "no," shame on you. Shame on you for not supporting equality, shame on you for not thinking we really should be the land of the free. Shame on you for thinking millions of Americans should be denied this basic Constitutional right because of something beyond their control. And shame on you for thinking it's okay to discriminate against millions of LGBT couples simply because you're a hateful, narrow-minded bigot. Shame on you for being an enemy of freedom.

It's okay for you to be a religious individual, but it's NOT okay to use that as an excuse for hatred and discrimination.

But, despite your arrogance, I still thank New York for approving what should have been approved since day one. It's been a long time coming. I hope every other hate state will follow suit, and all American LGBTs will have the right to marry who they love.