The sanctuary of marriage

What does Thanksgiving look like to you? Are you still crammed

at that damned kids’ table with your 12 cousins? Or maybe there was

always room for you at the adult table as long as you behaved

yourself. Or maybe it was always fully-grown crazy Uncle Joe who

instigated the mashed potato fight and although your mother never

fully condoned your participation, she did slyly edge more sweet

potato ammunition your way.

Do you have Tofurky or the standard bird? I can’t imagine a

Thanksgiving without my mother’s oyster stuffing, because although

I can’t stand the stuff, I honestly think my grandfather would cry

without it. In fact, I know he would. I’ve seen it. It’s not

pretty.

The thing about Thanksgiving is that although it may conjure

different feelings of nostalgia, pleasant or not, one theme remains

constant. Thanksgiving is about family. You may picture your

parents and two siblings, or an array of extended family members

creating an endless stack of dishes to be done, or perhaps a simple

gathering of friends, but however it’s done relationships are

formed and families are created not only by blood but by bonds that

are as strong as the smell of a beautifully cooked Turkey.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to be told who I could

consider family or not. It’s something that I’ll never have to deal

with, because as much as my two sisters may scream at each other

next Thursday or my grandfather may insist that the stuffing be

tainted with oysters, no one will deny that this is my family.

This is not the situation for Jacynda and Angela. The two have

been living together for nearly two years in one of the most

committed and loving relationships any two people can have. It

shocks me to think that they will never be recognized as family in

a court of law and in many situations.

What also shocks me is that a representative from the state my

family’s been a part of since it was still a territory is leading

the charge against family. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave has vowed to “do

what is legally necessary to defend the sanctity of marriage.” To

Ms. Musgrave, the recognition of the relationship between two

loving, mature, committed adults is a threat to the very nature of

marriage and she’s willing to amend the Constitution to prove

so.

There are many concerns Musgrave should have about the

sacredness of marriage, like the ostracism of people who don’t want

to get married, the various 24-hour chapels in Las Vegas, the

shotgun wedding and the wedding of convenience.

Jacynda and Angela should not be amongst them. …unless, of

course, they want Elvis to perform their wedding. Call me

Priscilla, but that’s making a mockery of marriage. Funny? Yes.

Upholding the “sanctity of marriage”? Probably not so much.

I don’t see any amendments banning Elvis marriages. This is

probably because like Thanksgiving and family, people have

different visions and definitions of what it means to them.

There is no such thing as a typical family, wedding or

Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a single parent household, a Little

Mermaid-themed wedding or vegan pumpkin pie, recognition of who you

are and how you express yourself, purposefully or not, is vital.

Recognizing the importance of family and whom you love is even more

so.

I’m grateful this Thanksgiving for the ability to express myself

to those I love and care about without the threat of a

constitutional amendment against me. I am also grateful to those

who may not have this legally recognized right, but continue to

fight for it every day. Oh, and oyster stuffing because, disgusting

or not, it makes my grandpa happy.

Marika is the news director for KCSU. She is a senior studying

technical journalism.