Starvation, poverty, war and disease continue to ravage the world, yet Americans still worry more about what other people do with their own lives. If we all just spend a little bit of time each day minding our own business, the world would be a much better place.

There will always be people prone to mistreating gays and lesbians, transvestites, transsexuals and bisexuals. The lack of tolerance usually stems from religious beliefs and statements made in the Bible long ago. Fear of the unknown, a lack of awareness or stupidity are just a few of the other reasons why America continues to vote in favor of toying with people’s lives.

What an unholy shame that today, conservative Americans still treat homosexuality and marriage thereof like some kind of communicable disease. In my opinion, President Bush and his overly conservative cohorts need to relax. Marriage between two people of the same sex is not immoral or unnatural. If someone you know believes homosexuality to be wrong or disgusting, please reassure them they won’t be forced to participate.

It occurs to me that only the most judgmental and close-minded oppose gay marriage. Quite frankly, the reasons for the controversy makes no sense to me. It is my set affirmation that equal rights should remain as they were hopefully intended to be, truly equal.

In Michigan last month, it was ruled that universities and governments can provide health insurance to the partners of gay and lesbian employees even though same-sex marriage and civil unions are illegal.

And in California recently, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that was to legalize same-sex marriage, saying the issue should be decided by voters or the courts. My stomach knots at the thought and I let out the proverbial dry heave.

As for homosexual couples raising children in their marriage, only the cruelest of intentions would push to curtail the efforts of any couple wanting to build a family with the person they love.

When you see graffiti on an apartment building, or a young girl dressed like a cheap whore, it’s clear their parents could have done a better job. Who’s to say whether a straight or gay couple was to blame?

Unfortunately, conservatives will stop at nothing to prevent two men, or two women, from adopting children based on their sexual preference. Something tells me that if we started dictating which straight couples were eligible to procreate, there wouldn’t be such a problem with overpopulation.

If homophobics are worried for their children, then they are entitled by all means to teach their kids to discriminate just as they do. Who needs unity or peace?

If we could learn to embrace homosexuality and gay marriage, other parts of the world may come closer to allowing their people to live their lives out of the closet and without unnecessary shame.

For new students at Mt. Hood who seek solace, or who just want to meet like-minded folks, our school has a club they might want to look into. The Queers and Allies Student Organization meets Thursdays between noon and one o’ clock in room 1161.