Putting it in perspective, it’s just a week with a title. There’s National Safe Boating Week, National Sleep Awareness Week, and even National Be Nice to Nettles Week. I don’t know what nettles are, but I do know the week held in their honor hasn’t changed a thing. But, what I see as different about Marriage Protection Week is that a week that discriminates against people was declared and supported by our president. I’m still astonished.

The gay marriage debate got fired up this summer. A lot of conservatives got scared when Canada granted homosexuals the right to marry. Soon after, the Supreme Court struck down anti-sodomy laws in the trial of Lawrence vs. Texas. Then, shows like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” started bombarding our television sets. Surely, they must have thought that the apocalypse was near.

In response, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist proposed an amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. It didn’t get off the ground, but it was hailed by conservative politicians and family groups as necessary to preserve the sacrament of marriage.

I am glad to say that while President Bush doesn’t agree with the notion of a gay marriage, he also didn’t believe it was necessary for such an amendment. Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum joined the ranks and wrote a fiery editorial in USA Today over the summer. His argument was “...it’s just common sense that marriage is the union of a man and a woman.” That close-minded and baseless argument does not make me proud to be a Pennsylvanian.

I do respect the views of these politicians; however, I argue that the United States grants equal rights for everyone. Everyone. If the church finds marriage between two men immoral, so be it. However, when our politicians start to implement the rulings of the church into law—or even worse constitutional amendments—they are crossing the line. There is a clear separation of church and state, and it needs to stay that way.