...Gay Marriage Gay marriage has become a big topic for the last twenty years. When it comes to gay marriage, I am not with or against, but more neutral about it. I come from a catholic family and I’ve attend church most of my life. As long as people are happy, then it shouldn’t matter how they want to live their lives. Gay marriage has been accepted in some countries and others are fallowing. There is absolutely no part of history which determines whether gay marriage should be allowed or not. There is totally no official, rational, or principal reason that gay couples cannot marry and it's very undemocratic in all ways to tell. Gay marriage should be authorized for a some reasons, a few being, it does not make any difference if two men or two women want to get married, not allowing them to wed makes them feel inferior and also violates human rights. No one likes feeling low-grade, or like they a less standards, by making gay marriage prohibited you make couples who are involved with the same sex feel lesser to others. Homosexuality is not a cognizant choice; it's something in- born. Just as you did not choose who you love, neither did they. So it is unfair to make gay marriage seem awkward when it is no dissimilar. Human rights are an issue people have tried hard to uphold over the years, banning slave trade and enforcing women rights. Homosexual groups are not supposed to be different. They need to have their human rights respected, just like women are allowed...
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...ALL MEN CREATED EQUAL? A CLOSER LOOK AT GAY All Men Created Equal? A Closer Look at Gay Marriage Karla S. Rendon University of Phoenix Essentials of College Writing COMM215 George Novotny May 04, 2009 All Men Created Equal? A Closer Look at Gay Marriage As citizens of the "land of the free," homosexuals should have the same privileges, such as marriage, as any other American. For years, homosexuals have been fighting for this right and it wasn’t until now that these voices are heard. There is much skepticism when discussing such a sensitive issue like same sex marriage; however the fight is not over. As the support in legalizing same sex marriage continues to rise, many other Americans still wonder, “How same sex marriage will benefit America”? “Isn’t that against the bible?” “What about our children?” Similar questions such as these were likely asked when granting equal rights to slaves but together they accomplished what they rightfully deserved, national acceptance of who they were and the same rights as every other man and woman who reside in the United States. The Bible and Gay Marriage The bible is a living document which is considered to be The Word of the Lord, and is often cited for motivation, self improvement, and lessons learned. More importantly, the bible expresses about the power of love and family; neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Furthermore...
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...Maria Cruz P1 Rough Draft Homosexuality is an extremely controversial topic. There is an incredibly large amount of available arguments regarding this subject, making it disputable. One available argument is the ‘stop saying gay marriage’ debate. Some people are really flustered by the fact that we say ‘gay marriage’ instead of just ‘marriage’. I completely understand this viewpoint, because the specificity of the term seems to imply that there is something different and special about two people of the same sex getting married. Although the word ‘special’ can be described as a good thing in certain cases, it has a negative connotation when we’re talking about homosexuality. Marriage is something shared by two people who love each other. Why we have to put so much emphasis on the gender, race, and color of these two people is ridiculous. Before I get off topic, I’d like to say that those who are a bit too bothered by the term ‘gay marriage’ or ‘same-sex marriage’ might also be a little over-sensitive towards the topic. I, not being a heterosexual person, am not offended by the term. I do believe that for a change in society, we must stop using them, though. Another debate relevant to homosexuality would be the one about schools not teaching positive messages about homosexuality to students. The reasoning behind this argument is due to the brain’s sponge-like resemblance. Humans, especially during their younger years, tend to absorb information at very impressive rates...
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...2012 CEP # 1 Gay Marriage in Washington The controversy of gay marriage has always been an issue, whether mentioned in the confines of a home, a school or even, as stated by David Masci, the hallways of the U.S. congress, white house and courtrooms. As times change and generations pass, gay and lesbian relationships are becoming more acceptable, but that does not mean the problem is completely solved. Gay marriage has been legalized in six states as well as the District of Columbia, while twenty nine states have passed a constitutional amendment prohibiting same sex marriage in that state (Masci). Each side of the argument is very black and white. Either you believe that there is no right to tell someone they cannot be legally bonded with the one they love. While the counterpart, mostly religious aspects, is that it is not morally right for two members of the same sex to be together. Whether or not gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to wed is only part of the problem. The other issue at hand is whether the law should be decided by a peoples vote, or by a proposition to legislature by the Governor. Most states rest this choice with the people, deciding the content of their states constitution themselves. But the Governor also has the power to decide if their state is mature enough to be passed, though it would still not be a for sure thing. In the midst of this budget crisis in Washington State, there is also talk of legalizing same sex marriage. Christine Gregoire...
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...Should married gay Veterans receive equal benefits? University of Phoenix August, 5, 2014 Kealakai Peña Marriage is a right protected by the United States Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment allows American citizens entitlement to life, liberty, property, and equal protection under the law. By denying gay couples the right of marriage, laws that ban gay marriage also deny them these constitutional rights. These laws would deny gay couples the right to life and liberty by denying them the lifestyle that they want to live. It would deny them property by banning them from jointly owning property together as a married couple. Finally, it denies them equal protection under the law by stopping them from entering into a partnership based solely on their sexual orientation. The Fourteenth Amendment allows all citizens of the US the entitlement to life, liberty, property, and equal protection under the law. The sole right of marriage is protected under the United States Constitution. Denying same-sex married veterans would be denying their right to life and liberty. This denies them property by banning them from jointly owning property together as a married couple. A prime example of denying benefits to married gay veterans would be when the Wilkinson’s required a $175,000 bank loan from the Veterans Affairs, a department that provides to active-duty members and veterans. When the 32-year-old veteran was single, he was...
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...Argument 1. ; Newspaper Utah vs. Gay Marriage Derek Kitchen, left, and his partner, Moudi Sbeity, were one of three couples who sued the state. Credit Rick Bowmer/Associated Press Derek Kitchen, left, and his partner, Moudi Sbeity, were one of three couples who sued the state. Credit Rick Bowmer/Associated Press Gay marriage/rights have been an ongoing issue for many years. For me personally it is not an issue at all. Ever since I was a child I’ve had an Aunt that has been a lesbian, even though I never knew until I was in my late teens and early twenties. It didn’t make me feel any different about her. And now, I have many friends that are from all aspects of the LGBT society. (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual) I am a straight male, I have a girlfriend, and we have a child on the way. I am very happy to be straight, and I am also very happy to see my friends that are gay be happy together as well. This debate is one that will likely go on for a long time. Mostly the argument comes down to an opinion debate as well. It has been continually quashed in many political areas and in religious communities. A quote from a Denver reporter in the New York Times from a judge that upheld the rights of Gay unions, “To claim that marriage, by definition, excludes certain couples is simply to insist that those couples may not marry because they have historically been denied the right to do so,” the judges wrote. “One might just as easily have argued that interracial couples are by...
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...Should Gay Marriage be legalized? “What you saw was the people of New York having a debate, talking through these issues. It was contentious; it was emotional; but ultimately they made a decision to recognize civil marriage. And I think that's exactly how things should work,” said President Obama in the news conference in June 2011. In the view of the legalization of gay marriage in New York State, this issue has been debated and remains controversial. Gay marriage has been a major social issue that even President Obama puts an eye on it, as well as the gay communities, who support this action; yet, there are different religious parties who oppose this idea too. Gay marriage should absolutely be granted because of the following reasons: it benefits the gay individuals economically and psychologically, it defends the fundamental human rights of them, and it benefits to the society as a whole. The legalization of gay marriage can benefit the gay communities economically and psychologically because of the relationship is safeguarded. Firstly, a married couple can support each other’s medical expenses, make important decisions and be responsible to them. According to the article writer Ramon Johnson, gay couples are not allowed to interfere his or her personal decisions. In his article, he mentioned “ …same gender loving people are left without protection for their loved ones, such as the authority to make medical decisions, handle insurance claims, supervise estate...
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...Recently, famous singer P!nk stated, “I think that the best day will be when we no longer talk about being gay or straight – it’s not a ‘gay wedding,’ it’s just a ‘wedding.’ It’s not a ‘gay marriage,’ it’s just a ‘marriage.’” She also mentioned how her heart went out to those who struggle for their rights in today’s society. She, herself, knows what it’s like to struggle for acceptance in a world that makes her feel like an outsider. In a way, I can relate to her and support her quote. There are multiple reasons why I believe same sex marriage should be legalized. In America, only nine of the fifty states have legalized same sex marriage. Even though the U.S. Constitution states that “All men are created equal..,” the government still refuses the right for same sex couples to get married. I don’t understand how we can have the freedom of speech and religion, yet we don’t have the freedom to marry whomever they please. To me, making same sex marriage illegal is like making interracial marriage illegal. In all reality, there is no difference at all! It’s not a crime to love someone of the same gender. And to those who think it is I would like to know who it is hurting and how it’s so bad. How would all of the straight folks feel if they couldn’t marry the love of their life? I would be greatly upset and angry, wouldn’t you? So tell me this, what’s next, denying gays, lesbians and bisexuals their right to go to college?! People in the rural community have given me their thoughts...
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...government benefits as compared to heterosexuals. Everything asked will have a favorable response till you reach the point where you talk about gay marriages. That is the instance where they stop to think, where they have opinions, where equality dies and rights is just another term. This gives rise to the question of why do people who passionately support gay rights take a u-turn, and oppose gay marriages with the same passion. The purpose of this essay is to understand why same sex marriages are opposed and to debate whether marriage between homosexuals should be legalized. Before going any further, it is important to define gay marriage. In simple words, gay marriage is between two people of the same sex. It has been given legal status in different parts of the world such as Denmark, Spain, Canada, Norway, Sweden and South Africa. However, one of the greatest advocates of human rights, the United States of America at large does not accept same sex marriage legally. A few states such as New Hampshire, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont and Washington, D.C of the United States of America have legalized homosexual marriages. Homosexuals in the United States had been trying to get marriage rights since 1970 when the movement first started. Till date, they are recognized for other rights except the right to marriage. The reason it has not been accepted worldwide is probably because people have not been able...
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...Jessica C. Cruz PHI2604 Professor Anthony Kreider Gay Marriage “To Love and Be Loved” “Marriage should be a choice between a spouse and a spouse, not a gender and a gender.” (Hendrick Hertzberg) This quote cannot be expressed any better. It is not about gay marriage being legalized only in certain states, but rather being legalized, period! It is unethical allowing some people to marry, while others are being denied. The veil of ignorance is set upon many people when it comes to the decision of the legalization of gay marriage. Why should it matter if the couple is heterosexual or homosexual when it comes to making decisions for their other partner? Unmarried partners are denied the rights in making decisions with their partner, as well as being in a situation that only family can be in a certain place. Little by little insurance companies and many others are beginning to allow the partners of homosexual couples be put onto the other partners insurance, giving them the opportunity of help, as an illusion of marriage, although it is not legal to actually be married. What is marriage? One can look up the definition, but what marriage really is, is not what a dictionary shows. The meaning of marriage should be more obvious than what it is brought out to be. The true meaning of marriage consists of sexual intimacy (which both heterosexual and homosexual couples can achieve); the couple’s mutual effort in dealing with economic and domestic necessities of life, and it is most importantly...
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...disallowance of it violates their constitutional rights. Marriage is an institution long recognized by our government under the right to pursue happiness, and denying that right to any couple, regardless of gender, is unconstitutional. This argument, though, is not disputed. In fact, none of the arguments raised in opposition to the allowance of homosexual marriages takes into account the constitutional rights afforded to all humans. The arguments are only in relation to the possible repercussions (real or imagined) of granting these rights. Our nation was built and has always been based on the fundamental principles of freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and through our Constitution. The opponents of homosexual marriage need to remember what freedom means to America, and understand the significance of setting a precedent that denies that freedom. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the institution of marriage is one of the rights guaranteed to all Americans by our Constitution. Banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. Marriage is a basic human right and should not be denied to any individual. At various times in U.S. history, other minorities have been prevented from marrying: African-Americans, for example. Interracial marriage was also legally prohibited in various states, until the Supreme Court ruled such bans unconstitutional in 1967 ("Should Gay" 31). At this time, however, marriage is only granted to heterosexual couples. Although homosexuals...
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...However, not all citizens are afforded equal rights. Gay and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbians couples are denied the right to marry even if they are upstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. One common problem that plagues gay and lesbian couples that are denied the right to marry is their inability to claim their partner’s social security after he or she has died. The Human Rights Campaign, which work to achieve equal rights for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people, is supporting the effort to attain survivor benefits for domesticate partners. They believe, “Any alteration to the Social Security system must include partners of gays and lesbians in its definition of survivor”(Survivor Benefits 1). Currently, there are no programs that give homosexuals survivor benefits like the ones that are provided for heterosexuals who are married or divorced. Gay and lesbian partners are not able to claim benefits of their deceased, regardless of the fact that all working citizens heterosexual or homosexual pay into the Social Security system for survivor benefits (Survivor Benefits 1). Sadly, this leaves many gay and lesbian couples with an unstable retirement...
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...Same-Sex Marriage: Everyone Has the Right to be Miserable By: K.C. Grome COMM/215 November 10, 2013 Instructor: Gayle Thomas One of the most highly debated issues faced as a country is that of same-sex marriage. America is home to some of the most proud and patriotic people in the world. A nation built on freedom and unlimited opportunities, for those that meet the requirements. With the recent addition of Illinois, 15 states allow same sex marriage. That leaves 35 states denying rights to its residents. Some people feel that we are moving in the right direction by allowing same-sex couples to be legally married. Some believe that it is a mistake and will impact America negatively in the long run. All Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation deserve to be afforded the same opportunities. Freedom should not come with a caveat. Those who are against same-sex marriage have an abundance of possible negative impacts that could possibly arise from its legalization. Many people believe that marriage is a religious issue. “Marriage was established by the Creator with its own nature, essential properties and purpose. No ideology can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman.” (The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved by Pope John Paul II.July, 2003) Religion plays a huge roll in everyday life for many people in the world. And many of these people stand strong in their beliefs...
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...However, not all citizens are afforded equal rights. Gay and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbians couples are denied the right to marry even if they are upstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. One common problem that plagues gay and lesbian couples that are denied the right to marry is their inability to claim their partner’s social security after he or she has died. The Human Rights Campaign, which work to achieve equal rights for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people, is supporting the effort to attain survivor benefits for domesticate partners. They believe, “Any alteration to the Social Security system must include partners of gays and lesbians in its definition of survivor”(Survivor Benefits 1). Currently, there are no programs that give homosexuals survivor benefits like the ones that are provided for heterosexuals who are married or divorced. Gay and lesbian partners are not able to claim benefits of their deceased, regardless of the fact that all working citizens heterosexual or homosexual pay into the Social Security system for survivor benefits (Survivor Benefits 1). Sadly, this leaves many gay and lesbian couples with an unstable retirement...
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...speaking of same-sex marriage; I am reminded of the experience when I watched the movie Brokeback Mountain. The movie made me feel quite sick at first, but I gradually realized that the individuality of every human being is manifold; sometimes people are different and cannot understand one another. Fortunately, it is not really necessary for us to understand each other; the only thing we need to do is learn to accept each other’s existence. Same-sex marriage does not directly harm our society. On the contrary, same-sex marriage sometimes benefits us. According to Quindlen, “gay couples are being held to standard the denizens of Vegas chapels and divorce courts never had to meet” (Quindlen, 455). Normally people think that same-sex marriage is “the desecration of something sacred”. Traditional opinion holds on to the belief that same-sex marriage is immoral, one of the chief arguments opponents have against same-sex marriage is that the function of marriage is primarily for producing and sheltering children, which is similar thinking to Colson who in his article states, “marriage is the traditional building block of human society, intended both to unite couples and bring children into the world” (Colson, 457). But now, the situation has completely changed. The world’s population is large enough. Especially in some developing countries, it does not matter if couples do not want to have children. Furthermore, in “Desecration Dedication”, it mentions that 28 percent of gay couples had kids...
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