On Monday, The Daily Collegian posted yet another editorial cartoon painting President Bush in a negative light. This time, Bush is depicted as ignoring issues in favor of the minor issue of gay marriage. In my opinion, Bush should focus on this issue because it is anything but minor. Marriage is defined as between a man and woman. Why? Empirical evidence suggests that children raised with both a mother and father have greater financial success and commit fewer crimes when they are adults. I think it is important to foster heterosexual marriage so more children can grow up into these standards.

Gays argue that they should have the right to get married. They already have this right. A gay man or woman has the right to marry a member of the opposite sex, but they choose not to exercise this right. A right not being exercised is not the same thing as not having a right. I do not own a gun, but that does not mean I do not have the right. Instead, I am just not exercising this right. The main argument for not allowing the definition of marriage to include two men or two women is that it opens the floodgates for further definitions. How about marriage between a man and several women, or several men and one women? A human and an animal? As long as they love each other, right?

I believe gays should have the same rights that I have. But at the same time, if they do not exercise rights, it doesn't mean we create new ones for them.