Same-Sex Marriage

Some might ask why same marriage should be legalized, most see it as being uncivilized and unmerited, but the question is: why should the opinions of others be able to depict who marries who? The discussion of same-sex marriage often raises a tangle of questions questioning human rights, federal overreach, state rights and religious code. Same-sex marriage has become an enormous civil rights issue. Who is society to judge someone, who doesn’t care about society’s opinion? Many oppose same-sex marriage, but there aren’t really any valid reasons against it. I would choose to oppose the Amendment to ban same-sex marriage. When you are born in the Unites States or become a legalized citizen, you are granted certain unalienable rights under the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. So who are we to turn an American citizen away from the rights given to them? Denying marriage to same-sex couples is a violation of religious freedom. The Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 by the Congress says “states do not have to honor same-sex marriages performed in other states” (Harrison et al. 2011, 771). The act goes completely against the Full Faith and Credit provision of the federal Constitution. The Full faith and Credit Provision requires that states recognize the judicial proceedings and acts of other states. The 14th Amendment states “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” (Fred Elbel/www.the14thamendment.us). Under the Due Process Clause, no state can deprive its citizens of life, liberty, or property. This means states cannot deny their citizens of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. According to the website balancedpolitics.org a benefit to