Same-Sex Marriage and the Destruction of American Culture
The late 20th century disintegration of marriage is epoch-defining and hazardous to moral health. The question of legally recognizing same-sex marriage - thrust upon us by recent court decisions - culminates this disintegration.
There are many reasons why the ills of marriage are so pivotal. Marriage is the principle of sexual morality. Immoral sexual acts are often wrong for other reasons, too, such as the injustice of imposing oneself sexually upon another without consent. But all immoral sexual activity is wrong because it is non-marital.
Our law until recently recognized this pivotal role of marriage. As United States Supreme Court Justice John Harlan wrote in 1961, "[T]he laws regarding marriage . . . provide both when the sexual powers may be used and the legal and societal context in which children are born and brought up . . . laws forbidding adultery, fornication and homosexual practice . . . express the negative of that proposition." (Exploring)
Besides the centrality of marriage to sexual ethics, our law always knew that a social commitment to marriage entailed a wide pattern of restraint upon all, married and unmarried alike. Marriage is not only a lot of work for married couples; it is a high maintenance deal for any society that recognizes it as the unique opportunity for human flourishing that it is.
But what if a great many people come to believe that one is entitled to regular sexual satisfaction regardless of the willingness of one's spouse, if indeed there is a spouse at all? It is not necessary to imagine what this asserted right to sexual satisfaction would do to a society. We mer...
... middle of paper ...
...that your new next door neighbors are an Episcopal priest and an Air Force pilot - and that both are women! Where such couples set up shop, they will become part of the neighborhood's furniture. You will be lucky to find a haven from them, and luckier still if you can somehow nevertheless convince your children of the truth about marriage.
The cultural effects of legalizing same-sex marriage will be devastating. What of that civil law debate? It seems that the vast majority of the American people oppose same sex marriage. And surely our legal tradition, including constitutional law, does not support extension of marriage to same-sex couples. But, then, there is the filtering device of liberal neutrality.
WORKS CITED:
Exploring Constitutional Conflicts.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/homeiscastle.htm
Bill Cosby once said that, “For two people in a marriage to live together day after day is unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked.” J.J. Lewis (1995-2009) This famous comedian could not have been more correct when recognizing that every marriage will face a multiple number of challenges and is often difficult. Couples, once married, must find a way to end any struggles in order for the marriage to be successful. Marital traditions have changed greatly over the centuries and due to this, the opinion of what an ‘ideal marriage” consists of has changed as well. When reviewing the document “On Love and Marriage” the author (a Merchant of Paris) believes that marriage should not be an equal partnership, but one that pleases the husband to avoid conflict. This can be clearly seen through an examination of: the social, and political environment of the late fourteenth century, and the merchant’s opinions on the area of obedience to a husband, and how to avoid infidelity.
Abstract On June 26, 2015 a divided Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples could now marry nationwide. At the time of the split ruling there were 9 supreme court justices, 5 of the justices were Republicans, and the remaining 4 were Democrats. In high profile cases it is except that the justices will vote along party lines. When the 5-4 ruling was reveled by the following statement. “It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right (Corn,2015).” written by
The constitutional right of gay marriage is a hot topic for debate in the United States. Currently, 37 states have legal gay marriage, while 13 states have banned gay marriage. The two essays, "What’s Wrong with Gay Marriage?" by Katha Pollitt and "Gay "Marriage": Societal Suicide" by Charles Colson provide a compare and contrast view of why gay marriage should be legal or not. Pollitt argues that gay marriage is a constitutional human right and that it should be legal, while Colson believes that gay marriage is sacrilegious act that should not be legal in the United States and that “it provides a backdrop for broken families and increases crime rates” (Colson, pg535). Both authors provide examples to support their thesis. Katha Pollitt provides more relevant data to support that gay marriage is a constitutional right and should be enacted as law in our entire country, she has a true libertarian mindset.
Capone, Scareface). Like youths of his time he ran in territorial gangs at first he was with
Considered the most notorious gangster in history, Alphonse Capone, otherwise known as Scarface Al, was born in New York, 1899, in a small apartment in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Having many run-ins with the police growing up, he was always around the local street gang led my Johnny Torrio. After beating one of his sixth grade teachers, he quit school, and quickly learned the way of the streets, joining the Torrio gang, call the James Street Gang. James Street also included Lucky Luciano, one of Capone’s best friends, who would later also become a notorious gangster (Internet 1, 1).
Chicago in the 1920’s was known to be a town of relentless parties, alcohol, and violence filled streets. The mastermind pulling the strings was the world’s most notorious gangster, Al Capone, whom utilized the teachings of Frankie Yale and Johnny Torrio to become the most powerful man in the underworld. He was a man of raw brutality and wits, paying off anyone willing to help him grow in power, and kill off anyone who wouldn’t. Al Capone was not like any ordinary criminal, he set out to make the public love him as a person, yet he considered killing to be a part of business. To this day whether or not Capone was a criminal mastermind or robinhood is debatable. What stands firmly is that the Roaring Twenty’s wild demeanor is mainly at fault for shaping Al Capone into who he was, and the construction of the powerful Capone Syndicate, because jobs were scares and organized crime, although dangerous, provided a steady income.
Al Capone didn’t start out in Chicago, he was born in Brooklyn New York to Teresa and Gabriel Capone, who immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century (Woog 25). Growing up Capone had an average grade score and almost perfect attendance, but his behavior was a different story. At the age of fourteen Capone struck his teacher for unknown reasons, and as punishment got a beating from his teacher (26). This caused Capone to drop out of school and join the Brooklyn Contingent of the Five Point gang, who specialized in Protection. Protection was a way of extorting money for businessmen in return for not bothering their shops, and Cope was in charge of showing people what happen if the money wasn’t paid (Kobler 23). At the age of eighteen Capone still worked for the Brooklyn Contingent, but had a day job at a local bar. It was there that he fell for a girl named Lena Galluccio, But Lena did not share the same feeling towards Capone. Lena ask her brother, Frank Galluccio, to kindly ask Capone to stop chasing after her, but Frank had a different idea about how to get Capone to stop. Frank showed up at the bar Capone worked at with a four-inch knife and attacked Capone. As a result Frank was killed...
Al Capone was someone who got well known for opening up thousands of illegal bars. He was also known for being the top notch gangster. The reason why he was opening up illegal bars was because of prohibition which led up to a law that no one liked. And the law was that you are not allowed to drink any kind of liquor or alcohol.
Same sex marriage may seem, to some, a crazy idea as marriage in this country is built on the foundation of a man and a woman marrying, but Sullivan points out that until recent centuries marriage was a contract into which a woman entered so that she would be controlled by her husba...
Mahin, Michael J. The Awakening and The Yellow Wallpaper: "An Intertextual Comparison of the "Conventional" Connotations of Marriage and Propriety." Domestic Goddesses (1999). Web. 29 June 2015.
Is marriage really important? There is a lot of controversy over marriage and whether it is eminent. Some people believe it is and some people believe it is not. These opposing opinions cause this controversy. “On Not Saying ‘I do’” by Dorian Solot explains that marriage is not needed to sustain a relationship or a necessity to keep it healthy and happy. Solot believes that when a couple gets married things change. In “For Better, For Worse”, Stephanie Coontz expresses that marriage is not what is traditional in society because it has changed and is no longer considered as a dictator for people’s lives. The differences between these two essays are the author’s writing style and ideas.
Since the beginning of time, marriage exists as a large part of life. The values of marriage change on a year to year basis and as trends continue to change so will marriage. There have been numerous reasons for marriage throughout time such as arranged, wealth, love or many others. In the 18th century, many marriages were based on one’s class and wealth and not true love. Today, many marriages do not take wealth or class into account they focus on that person’s inner self and love. Marriage exists as an overlying theme throughout Pride and Prejudice and every marriage appears for a different reason.
Marriage is termed as a legitimate commitment or social establishment which unites two people mutually as husband and wife. The agreement ascertains privileges and responsibilities amid spouses, spouses and children and spouses and in-laws. Marriage is deemed to be a momentous union in every society. It is significant in terms of providing security, emotional support and fulfilling economic, social, cultural and physical needs. These needs are the natural cravings of young adults that drive them towards matrimony. It is a foundation that is based on personal responsibilities which form the backbone of civilizations.
... the past several years is the same-sex family. Since the sexual revolution of the 1960’s, changing attitudes have brought more tolerance to the gay and lesbian community. This has somewhat loosened the stigma previously associated with this segment of the population. Along with evolving public attitudes, economic and legal changes in the United States have also reduced barriers previously facing same-sex couples making it more likely for them to form families (Butler, 2004). On the other hand, continued strong institutional ties to marriage between one man and one woman continue to pose problem for this group and shape social agendas (Glenn, 2004; Lind, 2004). While several states and many employers have given recognition and benefits to homosexual partners, there is still no uniform policy in place which addresses their familial rights in the United States.
The legal relationship, which comes out from a contract by which, ‘one man and one woman’ who have the ability to enter into such a union, promised to live together, take care of each other in the relation of ‘husband and wife in law for life until the legal termination of that relationship’ is defined as marriage. Marriage also may be defined as a legal union between ‘one man and one woman’ as husband and wife entering into contract changes the status of both parties in giving new rights and obligation. Traditionally, marriage has been viewed as creation of a family and vital to protection of morals and civilization. That is, the traditional principle founded from the marriage is that, the husband has the obligation to support his wife, provide a safe house, pay the necessities such as food, clothing, and to live together with the wife. The wife’s obligation entailed maintaining a home, having sexual relations with her husband and rearing the couple’s children.