Prepositions. They’re the small words that link sentences. Think Game of Thrones. Think All for One.

You get the idea, but if we want to get technical, here’s what the Oxford Grammar guide says:

Preposition: A word that is used in front of a noun or pronoun to show place, time, direction, or method. For example:

She ran across the street.

The restaurant is not open during the day.

We went by train.

Why am I telling you this? Well, this morning a brand new, shiny group has pulled on the jersey for a No vote. As citizens, that is their right. Calling themselves Teachers For No is also their right and it definitely does exactly what it says on the tin. They are also calling themselves Educators for Conscience.

Hello?

Now, what does that mean?

In simple terms they are staking out their claim for that most rarest of territories, the Moral High Ground.

Their pedagogical integrity will be blown apart because they will now have to explain that the state allows two people, straight or gay, to commit to each other.

Teachers are there to teach facts. How they teach facts tells us how good teachers they are.

Two people wanting the state to recognize the fact that the love they have for each other means they want to make a commitment to each other.

Love.

Human love.

That’s what next Friday is about.

Step forward university teacher Dr John Murray (also a card carrying member of the Iona Institute.. they’ll love me for that).

Anyway, the bould John tells us that teachers will need to explain nasty words like ‘gay’ or ‘bi’. He actually called it "stuff like this."

John, it’s not stuff. There are people struggling with those words because those words are used as slurs. As playground taunts. Yes, even by six-year-olds.  

Labels hurt people.

Does John get this?

Does he understand the one thing that makes us human is the ability we all have to love and be loved.

It’s not about sex.

It’s about love.

Next Friday we can say YES to love. We can become people OF conscience.