Look to Lincoln | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln famously declared, quoting Jesus, that "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

The future president presciently stated that "this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free."

Today, with 13 states granting same-sex marriage (one-third of Americans), this nation cannot endure for much longer being half gay marriage and half not, divided against itself.

What heterosexual couple would tolerate getting legally married and starting a family in a state and then, after moving to another state, having their marriage and family no longer legal? There'd be widespread outrage, and vote-seeking members of Congress would act to remedy the injustice.

The United States should be "one nation, indivisible," not one divided against itself on matters of justice. The Fifth Amendment guarantees life and liberty to all Americans. It's time to deliver the liberty to marry to all Americans, wherever they live.

Bobby Anderson

Salt Lake City