I Want A Logical Reason

Since last week's election I've been struggling with the proposition results that took place in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and in particular California. For those that do not know, Arkansas passed into law a ban on gay adoption while the other three states passed bans on gay marriage. How is it that hate can be written into state constitutions?

I am struggling with this because I truly do not understand the reasoning behind it. How is it that a gay couple getting married threatens the union of any straight couple? Is the argument a purely religious on or is it a decision based in hate? Or I guess it could be a decision coming from both.

I've heard the argument that gays and lesbians should not fight for the right to marry but rather settle for civil unions. In those states that have civil unions they do not typically carry the same rights as does a state recognized marriage. Even if civil unions did, then why the separate label? Again, I think it stems from this religious ideal of marriage being between a man and a woman. But not all straight couples marry in a church or is married by a member of clergy. Does the fact that their union is not directly connected to some form of religion make their marriage less valid? Maybe the solution is that those not joined together by clergy, either straight or gay, should be labeled a civil union and only those joined by clergy should be labeled as a marriage? But something tells me that many will not go for that change.

To say that some Americans in our society have a certain right while other Americans do not seems odd to me. With the country's history being as it was, how can we endorse any form of separate but equal?

I simply want a legitimate and logical reason for why I can not marry in the majority of the United States.

Here is a video from Keith Olbermann. Love him or hate him I think this video touches on this subject beautifully, and this should be required watching of everyone that supported Proposition 8 in California and the other anti-gay ballot measures across the country.