"Hello, Senator O'Toole's office."
"Uh, hi, I'd like to give my opinion on the gay marriage bill."
"Okay."
"Well, we're all supposed to have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but by denying gays the right to marry, Senator O'Toole is denying them this right. And, uh, I'd like him to think of what would, uh, happen if one of his kids grew up to be gay and how much, uhm, anguish his family would be put through if they couldn't get married."
"Okay, I'll tell him."
"Okay, thanks, bye!" Click. And that is my conversation, fifteen year old Melissa, with the secretary of the Republican senator who planned on voting down the bill which allows gays to marry in New Jersey. I doubt she even told him. She probably couldn't even understand me, with my stuttering and quick, messy phrases. I doubt she'll ever tell him. But this is big. You hear that, Senator O'Toole? Big. So, you may ask why I would do such a thing, with my stuttering and overall hush. No, not because I'm gay. But would it matter if I was? I'm still a human. I'm still a citizen. I'm still Melissa.

So no, it's not because I'm gay. It's because I want everyone to be equal. Call me crazy, but I think black, white, yellow, orange, man, woman, child, are all still human. We're all humans here in this world where women still don't get paid as much men, and certain people are still prejudice. Why is that? What makes you better? Why should you get the privilege to get married, but someone who looks just like you, but is attracted to the opposite sex, not? Give me a legitimate reason, and I will take back my call to Senator O'Toole.

So, I obviously have no problem with gays. I know a lot of people who are gay, and what, now their no longer human? They're not aliens. They live here, learn here, and love here. So why can't they get married here?

And don't pull that "God hates gays" stuff on me. I'm the biggest, most devout Catholic around, and I know that God loves everyone. And God wants us to love everyone. In 1 John 4:7, 11-12, it is stated "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God ... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." We should love one another. So why ban gay marriage? Find the bible quote that tells us to hate the gays and punish them for how they are, and I will take back my call to Senator O'Toole.

So, God loves all-gay, straight, trans, lesbian-all. He loves all-gay, straight, trans, lesbian, all-humans on this earth. He loves all-gay, straight, trans, lesbian, all-humans on this earth equally. So, why not extend this love, Senator O'Toole, and allow all who are loved to love each other, and show that love through marriage?


So, today, I fought for rights which don't even effect me. So, today, I tried to make a difference. So, today, I am only a grain of rice in the world. But, today, if I, as a grain of rice, hit into another grain of rice, who hit into another grain of rice, and so on, soon a lot of rice would be affected. And that is why I, Melissa, fought for gay rights, today, December 10, 2009.