The Argument on the Legalization of Same Sex Marriages
The argument over the legalization of same sex marriages is rapidly becoming one of the most vigorously advocated reform subjects in recent law review. Being gay and loving someone is not illegal, but uniting that couple in a legal marriage is rejected by most of society in this country. Each state has had to deal with legal issues concerning same sex marriages to some extent. Most supporters of the ban on gay marriages believe that it would be a strong cause of immorality and corruption of the American family. People who do not support same sex marriages believe that it would create an unhealthy family, and could cause serious harm to children in that family, while supporters of same sex marriages believe that they are being denied the benefits such as establishing a right of survivorship, co-partner medical and retirement benefits. It is felt by most homosexuals that these benefits would help create a stronger stability in a long-term relationship.
Most of the volunteer and financial support against gay marriage comes from religious groups or churches. ?Catholics, Mormons, and evangelists make up more than 40 percent of California?s population, and raised millions of dollars to pass the amendment.? Same sex marriages are both mentally and physically wrong in the minds of most parishioners. They find the concept immoral because according to the Bible, sex between members of the same sex is strictly prohibited, much less marriage. Proposition 22 was one of many campaigns led by religious conservatives, which prohibits California from allowing marital rights to gay couples who married in another state, and it only recognizes marriages between man and a woman. ...
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...iages will also someday in the future be legalized.
Bibliography:
California Protection of Marriage Initiative. Feb.2000
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Defense of Marriage Act. May 1996
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(http://reagan.com/HotTopics.main/HotMike/document-5.15.1996.1.html)
Lesbian and Gay Marriage Resource Site. April 2000
Online Posting 10 Oct. 2000
(http://grasshopperdesign.com/gay_marriage/news/vt4.htm)
DodgeGlobe: The Dodge City Daily Globe-Court grants April. 2000
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(http://www.dodgegloble.com/stories.122199/nat_rights.shtml)
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Stiers, Gretchen A. From This Day Forward
St. Martins Press, New York, NY, 1998
Throughout the recent history of America, gay marriage has always been an issue. With the different views and morals everyone has on the subject, it makes it hard for individual states to determine what side they should be on. In 1983 a Harvard Law School student, Evan Wolfson, wrote a thesis stating the rule of marriage equality. Justices concluded that gay couples were entitled to the legal benefits of civil marriage; and most crucially in the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts, whose favorable ruling, in a suit by lawyer Mary Bonauto and the Boston-based Gay and Lesbian Advocated and Defenders, led to the nation’s first bona fide same-sex marriages…” (“Gay Marriage turns 10 and Credit Should Be Spread around- The Boston Globe). On May 17, 2004 Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriages. In June of 2013, California legalized gay marriages, which helped their large LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered) community. (“History and Timeline of the Freedom…”). When this finally happened, it was seen as a great achievement by Karmala Harris, a California Attorney. “This is a profound day in our country, and its just the right thing: ‘Justice is finally being served’” (“Court Gives OK for California Gay Marriages”).
There are a number of reasons why people supported Proposition 8. There was indubitably a measure of homophobia which influenced the result, but proponents of the revision focused their arguments on other issues. Those who supported “Prop 8” claimed that it was not hateful or discriminatory, and that it did not in fact take away the legal rights of non-traditional couples. This argument hinged upon California Family Code Section 297.5, which granted the same rights and responsibilities to civil unions and domestic partnerships as to marriages. The flaw in this reasoning is astoundingly obvious. By taking away a couple’s ability to marry, the state would be taking away one o...
“The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage Why Same-sex Marriage Is An an American Value” is an essay written by Theodore B. Olson, arguing that same-sex marriage is what conservatives want in society and values. “Prop 8 Hurt My Family-Ask Me How” is a report released by Marriage Equality USA, listing different accounts of emotional and physical harassment on the LGBT community and its supporter due to Prop 8. In “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage Why Same-sex Marriage Is An an American Value” by Theodore B. Olson and “Prop 8 Hurt My Family - Ask Me How” by Marriage Equality USA, both of the authors used the different writing techniques efficiently to their advantages. They were able to reach their audience and give their message to the audience productively, using the different rhetorical strategies. The different rhetorical strategies that will be discussed about is purpose, audience, genre, stance, media/design, logos, ethos, and pathos.
As granted by the United States Constitution, everyone is entitled to equal rights. The Supreme Court of the United States recently ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Gay rights are forgotten many times and equal rights for same-sex marriage are often ignored. For this reason, federal authorities have left policymaking regarding this topic up to individual state governments. Many people throughout the United States, and across the world, have extremely different views on the subject; some because of religious reasons, others because of family, others because of how they were raised. The policy of gay marriage and equal rights is an extremely touchy subject, and is much deeper than what it may seem.
The issue of gay marriage needs little introduction as it is one of the most widely contended and discussed topics in the United States of America. While the issue is relatively recent one has to question why this is even an issue to begin with. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. Arguments come from both religious groups, as well as secular focused sources. Reasoning against gay marriage ranges from religious immorality, to the idea that giving gays the right to marry would support minoritarianism (giving minority special privileges and advantages in either a legislative or societal capacity). There are countless arguments besides those mentioned, few of which have any substantial grounds to stand on. Gay marriage causes no political or communal grief, except for those who strongly oppose it now. Even for those people gay people exist either way. Whether they are married or not will not change that and their lives will not be dramatically changed from it. Gay marriage has no valid reason to be outlawed and there are plenty of reasons to allow it.
Gay and lesbian couples deserve for their commitment to each other to be viewed with equality on a legal and social level. There are numerous rights withheld from same-sex couples when they are denied the liberty to marry. For example, same-sex couples are usually not considered next-of-kin. In medical situations this means that they are unable to visit their partner in the hospital, or have a say in life-or-death medical decisions (Wolfson). Recently, two reporters from the New York Times calculated that same-sex couples can lose as much as $500,000 over their lifetime, because they are unable to receive employers' spousal health insurance, as well as other disadvantages (Badgett, 2013). On top of the legal issues faced by homosexual couples, they also face discrimination daily. Social acceptance of gay marriage cannot be mandated, but with legalization, gay marriage will eventually become a social ...
Legalization of gay marriage has been a major controversial topic for a long time. Although, many people do not know what it means to be homosexual, most people do not know the actual definition of homosexuality and they do not know how difficult it is to be gay in this society. There are many reasons why people are against gay marriage and homosexuals all together. Most of the reasons are based on religious bias another big reason is being afraid of the unknown. Some smaller reasons are that being heterosexual is such a social norm now a day’s people are not used to the change. Also parents often time tell kids that homosexuality is not a good thing because of there own views. Gay marriage should be legalized because most of the people who have a problem with it do not form complete thoughts and do not have a real reason that makes it not okay. Finally, what it takes to get gay marriage legal in Illinois is more complicated then one might think.
President George Bush strongly opposed gay marriage along with most of America 's past and present legislators and politicians. For instance, Minnesota state senator Paul Koering openly came out the closet and admitted being gay when in the past he had voted against the attempted marriage amendments for gays to be legal to unify. Today, more than 35 states have legalized gay marriage. Homosexuals are adopting children because they cannot have one. They take children who were once starving and living in the streets, or abandoned, and take good care of them. I 'd rather see a child with a loving gay couple than to see it sleeping in the street with nowhere to go. Government officials in both state and national offices oppose these laws because if they allow same-sex marriage to occur, they will lose large amounts of votes and supporters will be appalled. The future looks grim for gay marriage with the conservative republicans holding office. Furthermore, legalizing same sex marriage can cause a chain reaction of hostility and violence. Many anti-gay organizations, some resembling the infamous Ku Klux Klan of the 1920’s, will form and be on the doorstep of same-sex couples. This may also perhaps create an international clash and cause other countries to view America more immoral than we already appear which makes gay marriage legalization even more difficult to
“couples challenging the law clearly are examples of strong relationships, although that is not a prerequisite for state recognition of marriage”. He mentioned that granting gay and lesbian couples the right to marry would not have any effect on other families, and couples, nor would it burden the state. “Oregon law recognizes a marriage of love with the same equal eye that it recognizes a marriage of convenience”, Mcshane wrote. I believe lifetime love, and commitment should be celebrated and honored. Gay couples constantly gets harassed due to the fact they are gay, if two people are happy they should be allowed too. You can't stop somebody for being who they want to love and marry, it do not concern me and anybody else about other people relationship.Legalizing gay marriage will not put anyone at risk nor will it affect anyone. People may have rude comments and they are entitled to their opinion about gay couples but that is all it is an opinion. Gay marriage is a legitimate relationship and gay people should just ignore what people have to say about them and keep loving and caring for each other unconditionally. Imagine living in a world where you are not accepted, now imagine how someone that is gay feels. These people have to go and create their own personal community to be accepted as if they are doing something wrong. At least half of Americans today believe that gay men and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry. Beyond the constitutional questions a record high 59 percent say they support same sex marriage while 34 percent are o...
...onal than $50,000 support such unions. Assistance is lesser, simply over six in ten, amongst non-whites and those with lesser incomes. Six in ten evangelical Protestants oppose same-sex marriage, while around six in ten Catholics, non-evangelical Protestants and eight in ten with no spiritual affiliation support it. Three-quarters of Americans younger compared to thirty support same-sex marital relationship, while less compared to one-half of senior citizens share the very same.
Many religious leaders and followers have spoken out against this law. The Bible tells us a lot about everything, but one thing that we must hold true in order to follow Christ is love and compassion. Without love, it’s hard to see what is good in the world. The world is such a scary and messed up place, living your life without love is extremely hard. The Bible tells us in Luke 6:31 “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” As broad of a bible verse as this is, it tells us that love others as you want to be loved. Hating homosexual marriage is wrong because you don’t want someone hating your marriage because you’re straight. Many places have not allowed this on their campus because of Christian beliefs. “Despite the legal difficulties created by the recent changes, several Christian colleges — including Wheaton College, Baylor University, Union University and Cedarville University — have indicated that they intend to continue to exclude married same-sex couples from their health benefit plans” (Dunningham NP). This shows how some university’s try to use the Christian beliefs to be able to not allow same-sex couples the same health benefits as straight couples. Dunningham goes on to tell about the economic inequalities there are with same-sex couples. “According to a report from think tank the Williams Institute and the Center for American Progress, this can result in those people in domestic
Same-sex marriage has been a religious hot potato for years. In case of the United State, same-sex marriage is legally recognized in some jurisdictions within the United States and by the federal government. As of January 2014, seventeen states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington), as well as the District of Columbia, have legalized same-sex marriage, although the Illinois law will not become effective until June 1, 14 (Reference: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage).
Over the last years the topic of same-sex marriage has been of great importance to our society. The idea of the same gender being lawfully married is disturbing to a group of people but in the recent years the number of supporters has increased. The cases that argue for the legalization of same-sex marriage are focusing on the relationship of the individuals and do not see anything in same-sex marriage that could harm our society as a whole. The article “How the President go to ‘I Do’ on Same-Sex Marriage,” published by Joe Becker in April 2014, explains how Barack Obama started saying that he was undecided about the subject matter but is now leaning toward the legalization of same-sex marriage. The subject matter takes a lot of analyzing of what pros and cons are to come from the legalization of same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is a global argument that deals with unifying two individuals of the same gender under the law. The main reason that supporters give for justifying same-sex marriage is that it is for the same reason as straight people, to show love and commitment to each other. Furthermore, the argument of same-sex marriage is difficult to generalize because of the multiple factors that need to be taken in consideration when making any decision regarding this topic. Although Becker does have true premises, he lacks clarity in his terms which make his argument be false and invalid.
In conclusion I argue that banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. It is discriminatory because it denies homosexuals the many benefits received by heterosexual couples. The right to marriage in the United States has little to do with the religious and spiritual meaning of marriage. It has a lot to do with social justice, extending a civil right to a minority group. This is why I argue for same-sex marriage. The freedom to marry regardless of gender preference should be allowed.
Legalizing gay marriage has caused many problems in the society today. The U.S. Constitution is making some people go against their religious beliefs because of this law. I personally do not think people should have to go against their religion to support something that God would not be pleased with. We have enough things going on in this horrible world and irrelevant things like this should not be added to society’s problems.