...Marriage Kendra Brooks EN101 English Composition I Grantham University February 14, 2014 Should gay marriage me legalized? This has become a very trending topic in today’s society. I think the better question the people should ask is, why gay marriage shouldn’t be legalized? Homosexuals are human beings that deserve to get the same respect and have the same rights as others. There are some states that allow same sex marriages, but there are a lot of states that have placed a ban on same sex marriage. Why do same sex couples want to marry? Does allowing homosexual couples the right to wed change the traditional definitions of marriage? Does same sex marriage harm the government? Is it unconstitutional to deny homosexuals the rights to marry? Should the fact that homosexuality is a sin deny homosexuals the right to wed? There are many pros and cons to allowing same sex marriage. Why do same sex couples want to marry? Marriage means as much to homosexual couples as it does to heterosexual couples. The same as heterosexual couples, homosexual couples want to get married to share a lifetime commitment with the person they love dearly. Does allowing homosexual couples the right to wed change the traditional definitions of marriage? A marriage is defined by two peoples love and commitment. Regardless of the sex, if two people are committed and are deeply in love they should be allowed to wed. Does same sex marriage harm the government? No same sex marriage does not harm the government...
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...Gay Marriage Should gay marriages be legal? Clearly we as a nation are undecided on this issue. 36 states have passed legislation banning gay marriages, yet the state of Vermont recently passed a law that allows homosexual couples the right to participate in civil unions. Some 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. Other people believe that gay people are just like anyone else and should enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals do. I think that the United States should allow these couples to marry just like any other couple. There are many opponents of gay people as it is, and they all have their reasons to dislike the idea of letting 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...
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...opinions and standing views on gay marriage. The argument regarding gay marriage should be legalized or not is extremely controversial. According to an article from the Human Rights Campaign, there is nothing wrong with allowing homosexuals to have the same rights as those who are heterosexual. Every individual person should be granted equal rights, regardless of sexuality. Gay marriage should be legalized in all states and countries, it has been held off for too long. Moreover, there are several reasons why homosexuals feel strongly about wanting to be legally married. One reason that is most commonly heard is, they want to legally show their love for each other by having a marriage license. Homosexuals want the right to marry like anybody else, and for the same reasons too. They are in love and want to spend their lives with this person. Even though it is possible to do this without being married; “they want to honor their relationship in the greatest way our society has to offer” (90). There be no reason two people cannot marry despite their sexuality. If a man and woman get to marry because they love each other, what is the difference between a man and a man or a woman and a woman wanting to marry because, they love each other? Also, another cause why homosexuals want the right to marry their spouse is because they are being cheated of rights. Although, two people love each other, if they cannot marry they are losing rights. Marriage gives both spouses benefits, “same-sex couples...
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...Marriage can make people grimace or run away scared. Still for some, it is a dream that cannot be realized. Not because they haven't found "the one" yet, as many of the people I speak of have been with their partners for years. It is because the law will not allow them to marry given that they have chosen partners of the same sex. America prides itself on civil rights and equality, however we fall short where gay marriage is concerned. Homosexuals should be allowed marry and enjoy all of the rights and privileges that come along with being a legal union. Most Americans like to consider themselves open minded and non-prejudice people. If you asked them if gays deserved equal rights concerning holding jobs or buying property, a large number of them would agree. However, when the issue of gay marriage comes up, suddenly the rules of equality change. As the topic becomes more prevalent in society, it seems there are more and more arguments against it. CNN reports that nineteen states not only won’t recognize gay marriages, but have amended their constitutions to outlaw them. Why is such prejudice this being allowed? A strong belief of many people is that marriage is for procreation and that children should not be raised by same sex parents. This claim is completely unfounded. Perhaps many years ago, marriage was strictly for procreation. However, these were often hard, loveless marriages where women were severely oppressed. Today, many couples either are unable to or actively...
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...THE BLESSING IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH LOGIC THOUGHTS “SHOULD HOMOSEXUALS BE ABLE TO MARRY?” Karrie Cheek Philosophy 103 Informal Logic Logic: An Introduction Professor Hughes November 11, 2011 THE BLESSING IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH LOGIC THOUGHTS “SHOULD HOMOSEXUALS BE ABLE TO MARRY?” I. The leading cause for counter argument throughout this paper purpose directs focus amongst arguments’ opposing flawed general hasting reasoning toward slippery slopes the human kind sees logical presenting why homosexuals should not be able to marry. II. The political fight for homosexual marriage is important not in the reasoning surrounding the topic that homosexuals should be able to marry. A. Marriage wrap around the meaning of love. B. The topic children affected by homosexual parenting disputes raise issues. C. Homosexual civil rights is not being seen the same as heterosexuals. III. The author’s core elements in counter argument are deep-rooted opinions A. Marriage is love, B. Religion C. Effects raising children D. Homosexuals’ rights. IV. Civil rights applies different meaning defining marriage verses union A. Civil rights based on evidence. V. Author Conclusion Understanding Homosexual Issues Reasoning. A. Love, Honor, and Commitment develops a foundation providing reasoning for marital status. Even though as Author, I can understand the views opposing homosexuals’ marriage. As essayist of this paper, I do find further discussed...
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...their community and abides by the law should be afforded the rights of an American. 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 lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are upstanding citizens and 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 as well, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. If same-sex couples are paying taxes to build roads and help public schools like the heterosexual couples, they should be afforded the same rights. 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. 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. Sadly, this leaves many gay and lesbian couples with an unstable retirement. The most disturbing fact is that homosexuals cannot claim survivor benefits, even though homosexuals and heterosexuals both pay the government...
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...Homosexuals should be allowed to marry because the 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...
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...recognition of such a commitment (404). Sullivan argues that to refuse homosexuals the right to marry is a public offense to their rights and equality as citizens. Sullivan makes the case in his essay that homosexual couples deserve the same rights, the right to marry, because they are just as capable of fulfilling the requirements of marriage as heterosexuals. Throughout his essay Sullivan argues that marriage should be allowed between any two people. He explains that marriage can no longer just be defined in the narrow sense as between a man and a woman, rather it has to be viewed in a broader perspective as it is an “emotional, financial, and psychological bond between two people”, who are consenting adults who are not closely related to one another (404). Sullivan makes the argument that marriage should not be denied to same sex couples because marriage is no longer viewed in our society as being for the sole function of procreation. It no longer matters if a couple has children or not, so why should whether or not a couple can have children be a stipulation that keeps the right to marry from homosexual couples. Sullivan finally asserts that marriage is an emotional commitment by two people for life, and that it requires sacrifice, commitment, and responsibility. He argues that by that definition one cannot believe in equality for all and still believe that homosexuals should not be allowed to marry. In his essay Sullivan also introduces and argues the point, one that...
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...What is homosexual? What is homosexual marriage? Homosexual is defined as same-sex; meaning ‘sexually attracted only to people of the same-sex as oneself’ (Oxford Dictionary, 2000, p. 883). Homosexual marriage is between two same-sex partners’ also known as same-sex marriage. Homosexual marriage is illegal in some countries and states on a decade of a century ago. The government and the society’s point of view towards the marriage institution should only consist of a man and a woman. The trend of homosexual couples are increasingly gaining approved in other countries but they are still not been allowed to marry. However, in 2004, Massachusetts which is a part of the America is the first state that was allowed same-sex couples to marry (Vestal, 2009). Same-sex marriage was gradually permitted in some countries. According to the Confessore and Barbaro (2011), New York has the highest rate where gay and lesbian couples get married. Due to this, it is obvious that homosexual couples wish that their relationship can be accepted by the society. Nowadays, majority of the people have no problem towards the issue of homosexuality. According to a questionnaire result that was stated in the Beijing News, 100 percent out of 83 percent of the respondents born in 1980 years to 1990 years did not disagree of homosexuality (The Star, 2012, p. 39). The purpose of this paper is to point out that homosexual couples have their rights to marry as legalizing homosexual marriage can also bring a multitude...
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...argue that same sex marriage should be allowed because homosexual couples are citizens and have rights just like heterosexual couples. According to (Herald, 2013) homosexuals aren’t entitled to marry the person they love. What gives anyone a preacher, the government to tell anyone they have no right to marry the person they love? Who I love shouldn’t matter to anyone I’m not killing anybody I’m not living for them but for myself. As a lesbian woman I have rights just like heterosexual woman so why should I be denied to marry the woman I love? They are so much other things going on in the world but politicians are worrying about gays and lesbians being legally able to marry. Bishops and preachers are worried about the bible but no one follows the ten commandants and no sin is greater than the next sin. Heterosexual couples have the right to marry whoever they want, what makes a heterosexual couple more entitles than homosexual couples to exercise their right to marry. One of our civil liberties is the pursuit of happiness, if that is so true why are the government keep denying my rights to marry who ever I want. You have grown people with power telling other grown people telling them they can’t do something that pertain to their own life. America can tolerate parents going free from killing their daughter, and a murderer going free from killing an unarm teenager, but can’t tolerate seeing two people love each other. Now that’s sick! Homosexuals pay their taxes; go to college...
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...Same Sex Marriage: Standing Against In the United States, there is social unrest regarding the government’s denial of the right to marry for homosexuals. Plenty of conservatives are completely against gay marriage; and many of liberals are fighting for equal treatment. The neo-Christian politicians are using religious arguments to establish that homosexuality is an abomination. While this may be their belief system, this country was founded religious freedom, where the people are allowed to worship how they see fit. A ground rule, set up from the beginning, states that separation needs to be made between religion and government, so the two shall never join to become a theocracy. With the issue of gay marriage, lines are blurred and religion rears its head to influence a government’s decision of who shall be married and who will be refused. The understanding of both pros and cons to the matter, my personal belief is being against gay marriage. There are many different reasons that why myself and others are against gay marriage. One of those reasons is religious purposes. “In the Bible it states that marriage should between a man and woman. So, to religious people that statement rules that there should be no same sex marriage in this country” (Interview). Another factor against same sex marriage is the children aspect. “Research” has found that many children succeed and thrive in a home with both a mother and father. Another factor is teaching of same sex marriage...
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...Conflicting viewpoints Name Institution Should Gay Marriage be Legal? Introduction The family is an important institution in the society. This is because it enables people to maintain the moral fabric of the society, hence keeping the nation moving. According to biblical teachings, a family comes up through marriage between a man and a woman. Once the two get married, they are to honor God’s commandment of fulfilling the earth through procreation. This aspect makes children an important, but not a must aspect of a family. This is because there are some people who cannot bear children naturally. When it comes it same sex marriages, the concept of a family loses meaning. This is because people in these marriages cannot have kids of their own. At the same time, their sexual acts are unnatural if not extremely weird to heterosexuals (Greenberg, 1993). Based on these factors, legalizing same sex marriages will definitely be destroying the moral marriage institution. Kids who are growing up will not know the importance of having a family, something that is likely to have a serious impact on the continuity of the nation’s traditions. As a result of these scenarios, I am against the idea of legalizing these marriages as they are likely to compromise the wellbeing of the society. Body Points that oppose my viewpoint Today, there are people who strongly believe that same sex marriages should be legalized. These people give various reasons to support their position. These reasons...
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...marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today's society. Similarly, this leads to the discussion of homosexuals having the right to marry in society. Ultimately, conflict from the opposing position of ‘against’ gay marriage may arise that gay marriage can destroy the concept of marriage and mock the importance of procreation as presented in Charles Colson's "Gay Marriage: Societal Suicide". In Katha Pollitt's "What's Wrong with Gay Marriage?", she appeals to the readers logic to convince them that gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples when it comes to marriage, while Charles Colson also uses logic to emphasize his argument, though it is not as strong as Pollitt's. Marriage has been justified as a religious and legal commitment between man and woman, through the expression of love. Specifically, in relation to origins of marriage as it is the traditional building block of human society, further steps should not be taken to define the term marriage as it is already set in framework that it is known to be kept as man and woman. This concept of man and woman reiterates through the concept of how gay marriage could affect families and children that are involved within homosexual relationships. Firstly, in relation to the idea of forming a family with homosexual parents becomes unnatural as homosexual parenting represents an attempt to disrupt that ‘natural’ order of forming a family. Colson attempts to justify this by using statistical...
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...and microeconomic factors such as reducing taxes for couples who are married, pension inheritance, and Social Security benefits. Opponents of allowing same-sex couples to marry use religious, historical, and political arguments. There seems to be no common basis for one side to convince the other to change its collective mind. Opponents who use the argument that Judeo-Christian holy law declares homosexuality a sin and therefore encouraging sexual relations between people of the same sex by recognizing same-sex marriage is untenable. This argument, of course, requires belief that (1) the Judeo-Christian laws should be the basis for our federal laws, (2) they actually makes such a statement, and (3) that if they make such a statement that the proscription should be taken literally. If one doesn’t accept these assumptions, the argument isn’t compelling. Similarly, the argument that history is on the side opposing same-sex marriage presumes that there were no gay marriages historically and that what was appropriate in the past is also appropriate for the present. Proponents of same-sex marriage claim that the federal Constitution and other civil rights laws provide rights and protections for minorities equal to the rights and protections enjoyed by the majority, which are being denied to the homosexual minority. These arguments only make a point if the opposition believes that (1) marriage is a right that was considered under the federal laws, (2) that the gay population...
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...PHI 200 Mind and Machine Gay Marriages Constance Dolecki February 27, 2012 In today’s society, homosexual marriages are seen as right to some and wrong to others. Nearly seventy percent of people in the United States are against homosexual marriages. There is lots of stereotyping about gay relationship. Homosexuals should be able to marry as long as they are not trying to force what they choose on others who do not feel the same way. Homosexual marriage is one of the most constitutional issues facing America today. It is an issue that most directly challenges our commitment to genuine legal equality. Although people disagree about the specifics, there is a broad agreement within the American legal and academic communities that all persons shall have the same legal rights regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or religion. But, when the subject turns to gays and lesbians, many people grow more confused and hesitant (Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution, pg. 3). Gay and lesbian couples have been challenging their exclusion from marriage laws since 1971. However, it is only since the early 1990s that gay marriage has emerged as an issue of national political interest. In 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court launched an important and ongoing international debate when it ruled that it was impermissible gender discrimination under the state constitution to deny three lesbian and gay couples the right to obtain a marriage license. This decision stated...
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