Civil Marriage | Civil Right

Welcome to civilmarriagecivilright.com! My name is Robert Murch and my husband’s name is Gary Halteman. This site is dedicated to preserving and protecting same-sex couple’s right to marry in Massachusetts and educating people from all 50 states on what the real issue is by encouraging an open and honest dialog. Same-sex marriage isn’t exclusive to Massachusetts and in one way or another, regardless of where you live, same-sex marriage will touch your life. Gary and I hope you accept our invitation to explore this civil rights issue through our lives.

There are those who hope to de-humanize same-sex marriage by pretending that personal stories don’t exist, that gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry do so only to hurt traditional marriage, and create uncertainty and anxiety by pitting straight people against gay people. This isn’t about who is right, rather what is right. It’s easy to say and feel things about people without having to confront them face to face. This site is an opportunity for you, in the comfort of your own home, to confront same-sex marriage, civil rights, and your own personal belief system. Both Gary and I believe that given some real thought, you will see that gays being allowed to legally marry is good for everyone.

We invite you to engage in a conversation where so much is at stake. You may not like the idea of homosexuality, you may be uncomfortable with the lifestyle, but do you really want to remove the blindfold from justice so that we are seen differently in the eyes of the law?

Gary and I made a conscious decision to invite all of you, not only as guests to our wedding, but as guest to our marriage. Enjoy your visit and we hope through our experiences, you begin to see us through our similarities rather than through our differences.

Bob & Gary

To the Editor:
I would like to thank the Salem News for its May 23 editorial headlined, “Don’t let legislators bail out on the marriage amendment.”

By stating that civil rights should be voted on you reinforced something I have been saying since May 18, 2004 (when same-sex marriages first became legal in Massachusetts):. Don’t be lulled into a sense of complacency, don’t take your rights for granted, and don’t stop talking to your state legislator!