Gay Marriage Debate on The View

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5T8DbQmGHg

This argument begins with a parallel between gay marriage and black suffrage. The women discuss the idea that "gay is the new black." This is because homosexuals are being banned from their rights as citizens, due to an aspect of their identity that they cannot control. Similarly to race, the citizens of our country cannot be discriminated against for their sexual orientation: it is not something they chose. If Americans truly believed that being gay is not a choice, I think we'd be on a much faster track to equal rights.
The argument then evolves into the freedom to marry whomever one chooses to marry. Whoopi Goldberg discusses her confusion with why people care who others decide to marry or be in a relationship with, when it doesn't affect their own life in any way. Whether someone agrees with homosexuality or not, how does it hurt them if gay marriage becomes legal? Everyone should be granted that choice if we truly have equal rights and freedom of choice. They compare this argument to abortion, and the right to choose. Being pro-choice does not coincide with wanting to kill babies-it's merely an understanding that everyone should have the right to make that decision for themselves. Therefore accepting gay marriage shouldn't have anything to do with personal opinion, its simply a respect for every citizen of our country and their right to be happy.
The opposing argument is that the institution of marriage needs to be preserved, and marriage must remain between a man and a woman. Yet this argument is trying to control the actions of all citizens, when people have no right to take that away from someone else simply because they do not like it.
I found it interesting to listen to these women debate because it shows how strongly people feel one way about the subject and it is very difficult to sway those views. Sometimes it seems like people don't even want to listen to the opposing view because they are so set in their ways that they don't care to hear other perspectives.