Same Love

Same Love



Few things make my dad's eyes water. But this video did. "Same Love", by Macklemore, is a song dedicated to the support of gay marriage, and the video chronicles the story of a man who grows up confused and angry, and struggles to accept his identity. He falls in love with another man, and they get married and grow old together, holding hands until their last breath. The video itself is masterful, and the vocals and lyrics are thoughtful and pleasant. But the most important aspect of this video is the message.

Man and man, woman and woman, man and woman, it is all the same love. There is no need for people to hate and spew dark words when a man holds hands with another man. Yet, many in today's society still reject the idea of gay love, and cannot even imagine the concept of gay marriage. Pop culture has inserted the word "gay" into our vocabulary as a synonym for lame, or stupid. High schoolers drop derogatory remarks without a second thought as to what they are actually saying. It's been subconsciously ingrained within many young minds that gay is bad. This mindless hate leads kids to despise themselves, for merely being who they are. And sadly, even if they find the immense courage to come out as gay, they may not even have the ability to get married to another person of the same sex. Barred in most states, same sex marriage has emerged as one of the most polarizing issues in our society today. But the legalization of it, as suggested in this song, is necessary. Marriage is a declaration of love and companionship, but same sex couples cannot marry unless they live in the minority of states that allow it. Shut out, they are treated as unequal members of our society. We look down on discrimination based on skin color, but turn a blind eye to people discriminated against for loving who they want to love, for holding hands with another man. For wanting to marry someone they are infatuated with. It may not be traditional, but it is not immoral, or something to be ashamed of. Legalization of gay marriage wouldn't abolish all traces of gay hate. But, as Macklemore states, "it would be a damn good start". Marriage is a union between two people that love each other. It is all the same love.