On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution guarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Should gay marriages be legal? Clearly we as a nation are undecided on this issue. Thirty-six states have passed legislation banning gay marriages, yet a few states have passed laws that allows homosexual couples the right to participate in civil unions. Several other states are also debating whether or not to allow these couples to marry. Unfortunately, the dispute has left the United States' homosexual community in an awkward position. There are some people who think that gay people have no rights and should never be allowed to marry, and others believe that gay people should enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals. I think that the United States should allow same-sex couples to marry just like heterosexual couples.
There are many opponents of gay people as it is, and they all have their reasons to dislike the idea of permitting them get married. One of the main reasons is that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. Because gay couples are unable to have children, they should not be allowed to marry (Schiffen 495). Another main argument is that the word marriage means the union of one man and one woman. This is a long-standing theme of most major Western religions. Under a proposed bill known as the Defense of Marriage act, marriage is defined as “a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” Furthermore, it defines a spouse as “ a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife” (What 1). Under these guidelines, it is quite obvious that gay couples would not be eligible for marriage. People against homosexual marriage also say that it is a person’s choice to be gay. Since the individual chooses to be a homosexual, they should not be given special privileges. Another argument that you hear is that these couples should not get married simply because of the torment and ridicule they would be faced with in their everyday lives. There are news reports from across America telling about how a gay person was beaten or killed just because they were looked at as different. Some of these people would end up the target of verbal abuse and maybe even physical abuse, just because some heterosexual people see them as different.
America is divided into two main groups, rich or poor. There is some grey area among these groups which is referred to as the middle class. The problem with the middle class is that most people think they belong in the middle class because they do not want to associate themselves with neither rich nor poor; there are stigmas attached to each side of the spectrum.
After the crippling defeat in the Crimean War, Alexander II knew that Russia could not be allowed to lag behind the Western world any longer if it was to maintain its independence. The reform of the state had been advisable for a long time, but for Alexander III it was necessary. He knew that before any real changes could be achieved, the main problem had to be solved: the problem of serfdom. However many limits and imperfections his edict of Emancipation carried with it, most importantly it allowed for further modernizing reforms in the legal, government, education and military spheres.
Lynch, Michael. “The Emancipation of the Russian Serfs, 1861: A Charter of Freedom or an Act of Betrayal?” History Today (2003), http://www.historytoday.com/michael-lynch/emancipation-russian-serfs-1861-charter-freedom-or-act-betrayal (accessed May 21, 2014).
"The Russian Revolution, 1881-1939." DISCovering World History. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Centre Canadian Edition. Web. 28 Oct. 2009.
Although there are many reasons to make vaccines mandatory, there are also reasons not to vaccinate. Some who are for vaccines wonder why anyone would risk acquiring a gruesome disease when they could just simply get a shot. However, the amount of people who decide not to get vaccinated is increasing. According to pediatrician Dr. Sharon Humiston, roughly 1.8% of children are not being vaccinated due to the fact that their paren...
As an American citizen, a person should be entitled to marry whoever they choose, regardless of gender or sexual preference. Gay marriage is something that some people consider to be taboo while other people are very supportive of it; I am one of the latter. The ability to marry someone is a basic human right and it should not be taken away from someone because they love a person of the same gender. One of the main reasons that gay marriage is illegal in the United States is because of what the Bible says about it, regardless of the fact that the first Amendment of the US Constitution says that there is to be a separation between church and state. Approximately three point eight percent of the United States population is made up of people
In the 19th century, Tsarist Russia was in need of various significant reforms and changes. Westernizers and Slavophiles had varied points of view about how Russia should be governed and what to be done with the crumbling country. Slavophiles believed in conserving traditional Russian autocracy and Russian culture and tradition, while Westernizers sought to modernize and adopt western beliefs and systems. These two viewpoints can be generalized into two main categories; liberal and conservative. From the years 1855-1881, Alexander II led the autocracy. He was known to by many as the “great reformer”, because he emancipated the serfs and put in place many other radical reforms. After the assassination of Alexander II, his son, Alexander
“There is a wide belief that Americans are less class conscious than Europeans” (Vanneman). Because the United States consumes more than any other country, the global economy relies on our consumption. “The middle class is an ambiguous social classification, broadly reflecting the ability to lead a comfortable life” (Kharas). During the industrial revolution, there were aristocrat traditions in royalty, class, and rank in Europe. In America, the industrial revolution was coming of a wealthy nation. The United States is has a two party system, Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats wanted more people in the middle class, mainly blacks and immigrants. The Republicans wanted to protect the people who were already in the middle class, whites, and successful working people. The middle class in America is sometimes threatened by its own success. “The definition of the middle class is the people of generic roots like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Robert Johnson, and Sam Walton can become billionaires” (Hockenberry). Not everyone who is in the middle class can become a billionaire and using their stories as an example is the death of the American
Participants in the middle class are not necessarily living the American Dream but a lot of them are living comfortably. In some studies almost 90 percent of Americans have self-identified to be in the middle class stratum. (Conley 2015) Unfortunately, the average American believes that they are better off than they actually are. Many of the people who self-identify as middle class actually fall into the working class. How would one separate the two classes? The white-collar office worker usually describes the middle class while the working class is described as the manual labor worker. However, in the recent years the working class has as a whole sort of gained a new stratification and become an expanded part of the middle class.
The reign of Nicholas II catalysed the downfall of Tsardom. His lack of concern for civil liberties and political sternness directly lead to the revolutions. However, it was not just the weak leading of Tsar Nicholas II but rather the whole system of autocracy that was to blame for Russia’s misfortune, with its ideology fundamentally primitive and oppressive towards the greater population. The Russian society was formed around a hierarchy that was inefficient and degenerate to those below. This would lead to economic and social problems for the people of Russia, as well as a lack of progression and eventually, downfall.
Legal marriage is the right of all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation. Gay marriage is certainly a hot button issue. It invokes an emotional dialogue filled with passion, rage, hate and fear. However, at the base of it all, are two people who are in a committed relationship living normal and productive lives and contributing to society in a positive manner. This issue is being debated in every state of the union, and will eventually go to the Supreme Court.
Gay and lesbian unions have been for a long time a subject that no one liked to discuss. For the last few decades, gays and lesbians have come out and expressed their sexuality preferences. Many believe that same sex marriage should not be legalized because it's against the moral. It's against the definition of marriage, which is considered as the union of a man and a woman as a husband and wife. Same sex marriage should be legalized because the way society views the union of lesbian and gays can a change. Another reason why same sex marriage should be legalized is that children that are issued from a gay or lesbian couple will be loved and raised in a family that is legally recognized under the law. Lesbians and gays also deserve to have the same rights as heterosexuals.
There are approximately 594,000 same-sex couples living in the U.S. today. However, less than 2% of same-sex couples are married (“Gay Marriage Statistics” 1). Prejudice against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual (LGBT) community has existed for years. LGBT individuals are often bullied, abused, and denied their basic rights and benefits. The right to marry is one of them. Same-sex marriage should be legalized because marriage is indeed a civil right, it provides many benefits, and would be beneficial to society as a whole.
Firstly I will discuss the reasons for marriage equality. I argue marriage equality is in the best interest for family life. Allowing homosexuals to form stable committed relationships through marriage would allow for healthier homosexual relationships. You can’t prevent people from being homosexual however giving those people the right to marry can help them experience greater personal happiness. Studies have suggested that not only does legalizing marriage in an area generally make homosexual individuals in that area happier; it also makes them physically and mentally healthier and saves them money on health care (Hatzenbuehler, O’Cleirigh, Grasso, Mayer, Safren, & Bradford, 20012). I don’t see any compelling reason to take away the joy homosexuals get from marriage, this is one of the many reasons I support marriage equality.
Despite the important and positive benefits of vaccinations, some people believe that vaccinating their children can cause serious health problems. Psychological, social, and cultural factors can also play a role in the parents’ decision in whether or not they wish to vaccinate their child (M. Ruijs., 2012). I feel that is it personal responsibility of all parents to vaccinate their children. Despite any pain or discomfort that a child may experience from the given injections, vaccinations are in the best interest of the child. It is very important to vaccinate children as it will protect them against many serious and potentially fatal diseases. Vaccinations are fast acting, harmless to the recipient, and extremely effective.