On an Arizona highway this afternoon, I found myself driving close enough behind the beat-up Cadillac in front that I was able to see its brand new yellow bumper sticker. Are you familiar with those little symbols for ‘Man’ and ‘Woman’ that are used on the doors of public restrooms? The bumper sticker read simply: “MARRIAGE = Male + Female”. No ambiguity there, then. Its not as though I could easily misconstrue the message. I didn’t find myself asking, “So, he’s a conservative?” I didn’t speculate on his sexual orientation. I didn’t debate in my mind whether or not he knows the mantra about ‘Adam and Steve’.

One of the many various issues dividing Left and Right in America is; what do we do with the gays? In particular the chestnut of homosexual marriage remains extremely controversial. And for me, the central question on that is: ‘Why?’

What exactly about the idea of homosexual marriage would prompt an Arizona resident to purchase and display a bumper sticker depicting a message against it? Why would anyone, married or unmarried, be concerned with the marital status of perfect strangers? How does it affect the lives of any heterosexual whether or not homosexuals are allowed to marry? If we all just left them to it, what would be the effect, if any, on the gay community?

The unorthodox truth is this: conservatives are not thwarting but rather FUELING the gay rights movement. A strange thing to say, you might think. Well you see, people love freedom. It isn’t hard to find freedom fighters for a cause, no matter what the cause (a good thing, too – freedom is our most valuable social asset). And by trying to prevent homosexuals from doing what they want in the bedroom, by trying to take away their freedom; conservatives are giving the gay rights movement cause to fight back. The positions of conservatives on this issue have had the following results:

a) to embolden the righteous fight of homosexuals
b) to encourage public homosexual displays of affection
c) to create the gay rights movement
d) to provide gay rights parades
e) to make homosexual behaviour intentionally pointed and theatrical
f) to provide DisneyWorld ‘Gay Days’….. and it goes on.

My purpose here is not to claim that this is a list of activities that we need to stamp out – my purpose is to show that the positions of conservatives are their primary cause and therefore, the positions of conservatives have been counter-productive. Points (a) through (f), and more, are the REAL products of little yellow bumper stickers like the one I saw on the road in front of me this afternoon. Why fight homosexuality? It exists. Get over it. It is nothing short of sheer control-freakery to fight something so vehemently that affects you so little. If you disagree with homosexuality due to religious belief or moral standard then let me absolve you: such belief or standard only applies to your sphere of control, your own conduct, and you are entirely free to refrain from such sexual activity yourself. Fortunately, you are not responsible for the behaviour of anyone else, so consider yourself relieved of that particular burden.

In a libertarian system of government, voluntary, adult sexuality would not be governed. There is no need – government would only have sanction to govern that which infringes on the equal freedoms and rights of others, and since voluntary homosexual arrangements are not something that infringe on anyone else’s freedoms and rights, they are not something which could, or should, come under scrutiny of government. In addition, we would find that under such a system people would be used to living different lifestyles with different moral codes without the pressure to control other people in such a multitude of ways. The Left may learn a lesson here as well as the Right – it is they who wish to control others’ ethics through coercion of the wallet.

In short, little yellow bumper stickers, with messages about what others should and should not do, do not need to exist. What do we do with the gays? NOTHING! Mind your own business! Or if you choose to continue to attempt to coerce them, you may find yourself coerced someday in a comparable way over some other issue.

In fact, I believe Jesus once said something similar.

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John Wright