The November end of this year's presidential and local elections has taught me that playing well with others is a lesson worth learning, both in preschool and in politics.  And while we make progress, more political, ideological, and even spiritual struggles motivate voters into activism. 

The bad news is one election cycle will not resolve every one of the state and country's problems.  And the good news is, with rare exception, the result of one election puts a semi-colon at the end of issues, not a period.  Maybe the nomination of Barack Obama places an exclamation mark at the end of this historic presidential race.  But in another four years, Democrats and bridge-builders everywhere may end that nomination process with a question mark.  We will have to wait and see. 

The point is the work of equality and democracy beckon, and lessons remain to be learned from this incredible, historic season.

As national politics go, our nation's leaders should understand the Bush-era lessons:  the White House should not equally jeopardize the nation's infrastructure and the country's safety by waging ill begotten wars in foreign nations, while trashing the Constitution, opening a heinous torture chamber, turning its back on a nation's city during crisis, and lastly, violating the public's trust by decimating the economy.

I'm a freak. I admit it. For starters, I'm a Republican. I was a virgin when I got married at age 24. I've never touched alcohol or cigarettes in my entire life. I don't swear. I even drive the speed limit (well, most of the time). See, I told you, I'm a freak. At least compared to the world's standards.

I'm also a Christian who had a gay man and a lesbian as two of my bridesmaids at my wedding. No, I didn't make my gay friend wear a bridesmaid's dress. They were two of my dearest friends and I wanted them to be a part of my special day.

I have quite a few gay and lesbian friends who are celebrating California's court ruling allowing them to legally marry. I'm happy for them. I'm thrilled they have found love and that they want to commit themselves and their life to another person. Love is a beautiful thing, BUT. 

Yes, there's a BUT.  At the same time, I also think that legalizing same-sex marriage is going to take us down a slippery slope for several reasons. While California has been celebrating and everyone on this blog has been blissfully applauding homosexual nuptials, I feel like I'm going to rain on everyone's rainbow parade if I say anything but congratulations. There are several concerns I'd like to bring up in order to play Devil's Advocate... or maybe in this case, Heaven's Advocate. 

Within the next week or two, several good friends are getting married. Some are different sexes, but some are the same sex. Some have known each other for only a few months, while others have been together for over 18 years. It is a happy time, with marriage in the air, and it has me very happy for all who are getting married.

But some don't see this as a sappy time. No, they would prefer to shout in the street about the sanctity of marriage being destroyed from under our feet. In an experiment, despite my support for same-sex marriage, I wish to peruse their side, as well is with my own arguments against them.