...Same Sex Marriage The controversy over the decision to make same sex marriage legalized has been going on for many years now. The decision that is made to be united as one is to be made between two people. Whether is it between a man and women, a man and another man, or women and another woman. As long as there are two people that care about each other and have a loving relationship should be allowed to be united. Only one state allows “gay marriage”, which is Massachusetts. New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont allow it be called a “civil union”. The state of California use to allow Gay Marriage but in November the law was banned. The most recent state added to the list to allow gay marriage is Iowa. Iowa believes that people should live the way that they want to, freely and without restrictions. The gay rights movement is hoping to make legal the New England States within the upcoming years. Same sex couples should have the same rights as opposite sex couples. Why? With the legalization of gay marriage it should increase adoption rates since gay couple cannot pro-create. Any couple that is in love should have all the legal benefits of an opposite sex couple. Also, any couple, depending on the circumstance, should not be denied marriage in any circumstance is a form of minority discrimination and questioning of someone’s love toward one another. With all the children that need to be adopted in this world, there is no a reason why same sex couples can’t adopt a child even...
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...precious words “I do!” In America there is a growing population that is not granted the right to walk down the aisle or have their relationship legally recognized. Regardless of sexual orientation, everyone is entitled to the same rights. Yet in most states, the estimated 3.1 million same-sex couples in this country (Bernstein, 247) cannot legally marry. The controversial topic of legalizing same-sex marriages is not a matter of heterosexual versus homosexual; it’s a matter of the laws of our nation not providing equality. As a straight Christian female, I object to homosexuality but I don’t pass my judgment on to others. More importantly, as a citizen, I know, religious beliefs Christian or any other have no weight in arguments regarding the laws of this democracy. I am outraged by this injustice in America and it’s seems to me that same sex marriages should by all means be legal. This is considered bureaucratic power. Bureaucratic power is a system of government in which most of the decisions are by state rather than elected officials. There are so many reasons why gay (or lesbian) marriages should be legal in the United States. First, look at the document on which this country was founded on, the Declaration of Independence, which states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It’s clear to see, this document’s...
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...Gay Marriage Research Paper Did you know that only 17 states in the United States have officially legalized gay marriage? Some of these states include: California Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Maryland became the first state to pass a statute banning marriage between same-sex couples on January 1st, 1973. Then, President Bill Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law on September 21st, 1996. The DOMA mandates unequal treatment of legally married same-sex couples. 3 years later, California becomes the first state to create a domestic partnership statute, on September 22, 1999 allowing same-sex couples to receive some, but not all, of the protections afforded by marriage. (History and Timeline of the Freedom to Marry in the United States). Gay marriage should be legalized in all states because it will boost the economy, it will provide health benefits for the couples , more children will get adopted, and because it can allow same-sex couples to visit their spouse in case they are at the hospital. Making gay marriage legal will boost the economy for sure. Why you ask? It is because the more marriages there are, the more money the state earns. Same-sex couples spend at an average of $9,039 on their weddings, while 31% spent $10,000 dollars or more. New York statistics show that after the first year of legalizing gay marriage, they gained $259 million dollars. (CNNMoney) . Also, according to a 2005 Stanford study cited by the Fiscal Times...
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...Topic: Gay Marriage Student Name Institution In the recent past different stakeholders have tried to define what constitutes the institution of marriage. In effect, some states give marriage licenses to gay couples, while others have approved “civil unions” yet many other states have forbidden same-sex marriages (Rauch, 2013). In 1996, the federal government passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as “…a legal union between one man and one woman” and that “No state shall be required to give effect to any public act, record or judicial proceeding of any other state respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex is treated as marriage” (Rauch, 2013). Consequent to this law, same- sex couples were denied civic advantages otherwise available to heterosexual married couples, and states were not expected to credit same- sex marriage licenses obtained in other states. In 2013, the United States Supreme Court withdrew DOMA section that disapproved gay marriage. However, it left intact the authority of states to acknowledge, or fail to acknowledge, the legality of the same- sex marriage license gotten from a different state (Rauch, 2013). Some legal means that can be used to bring the gay marriage debate to a standstill include the majority rule...
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...Same Sex Marriage This Argumentative essay will discuss about the argument of same sex marriage. The contents are: meaning, brief background and thesis statement for the Introduction; for the Body of the discussion is the counter argument; and for the conclusion part: the summary and the restatement of the thesis statement. Same Sex Marriage also known as gay marriage or equal marriage it is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or gender identity. In the 20th and 21st centuries various types of same-sex unions have come to be legalized. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in eight European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden; Luxembourg, Finland, France and the United Kingdom are currently in the process of legalization. Politicians in the United Kingdom have expressed their intention to promote legislation to allow same-sex marriage. Other types of recognition for same-sex unions are as of 2012 legal in the following European countries: Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Many people have their own beliefs and reasoning's when it comes to Gay/Lesbian Marriage. God made a man and woman to join hands together and say vows in the right way but however in some states it is a legal to get married with your same sex. So, a man is...
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...Should Homosexuals be allowed to Marry? Kelsey Laird PHI 103: Informal Logic Prof. Gloria Zungia y Postigo July 16, 2013 Marriages are said to be a legally recognized relationship, established by civil or religious ceremonies, between two people who vow to love one another till death do them part. Usually, marriages take place between a man and a woman, in love. However, the world is changing and more people are coming out to be homosexuals, who cannot make this legal vow to love their partner till death do them part. The United States is called the land of the free for many reasons, but if it is supposed to be free then it should be free for everyone, not just selected people. This argumentative paper will discuss both sides of homosexual marriage and reasons on why it should be legal and why it should not be legal. Every person born in the United States is born with civil rights which may include: race, religion, and sex. Having the option to marry the person you love is a right given to you at birth. Homosexuals, however, are being discriminated against due to their relationships with people of the same sex. Ferguson (2007) quotes “So, one common argument for gay marriage is that government denial of the legal right to gay marriage deprives gays and lesbians of access to the social sanction and status that marriage confers, and hence to full adulthood, rights to familial or joint property and inheritance rights, and full citizenship” (p. 40). To summarize...
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...Sample Final Exam Essay: Legalize Gay Marriage English—Mr. Fichter (This sample essay is based upon a student-written essay from last year. The student author is anonymous.) Homosexuality is everywhere. You can see it in books, on television, in the media; it is rapidly becoming a social norm. Given this trend of greater acceptance of gay marriage, the issue of whether to legalize same-sex marriage naturally arises. Massachusetts has led the way by legalizing gay marriage. Responding to this example, some states have taken steps towards accepting gay marriage while others are considering laws and constitutional amendments banning gay marriage within state borders. President George Bush has recently proposed a ban on gay marriage in the U.S. Constitution (Hulse). If Americans carefully examine the situation, however, they should all be able to understand the importance of making same-sex marriage legal in the United States. Those opposing same-sex marriage claim that by allowing this act, marriages everywhere will lose their honor and validity (Kurtz). Marriages between a man and a woman would lose their special importance, these opponents argue, if the definition of marriage is expanded to include same-sex couples as well. The test of time has proven this fear pointless. For several years, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands have allowed gay marriage without any signs of damage to heterosexual couples. Social life in these countries continues unchanged, and...
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...‘Marriage?’ Over the course of the past decade, the definition of marriage has never been questioned more. The typical union of a man and women can no longer be called the only form of ‘legal’ marriage, for now gay couple can be legally wedded. However, this is not the case when it comes to same-sex marriages in different states across the nation. Across the United States of America, six states allow couples to wed – Connecticut, New Hampshire, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont – as well as the District of Columbia. Home to more than 98,000 same sex couples, California would be the gay rights movement’s biggest prize of them all; simply for being the nations most populous state. Having allowed gay couples to wed, and then push for a same-sex marriage ban is ludacris. California is the only state to grant gays the right to marry and rescind it, but the measure to have a same-sex marriage ban serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status of human dignity of gays and lesbians in California. Furthermore, it will only officially reclassify their relationships, marriages, and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. As states, like Maine and Washington follow suit in pushing from gay marriage California’s Proposition 8 seeks to ban the marriage of same-sex couples. As a friend of many gay people, it is in both theirs and my best interest that they are, or will be, happy one day. There is no direct evidence presented in the United States...
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...In my opinion, the reasons to oppose gay marriage are farfetched and almost ridiculous. Legalization of gay marriage seems to be the reasonable choice when contemplating this particular issue. Homosexual men and women may have, admittedly, nontraditional partners; but bear in mind, that does not mean that they have any less love for one another than any heterosexual couple does. The prevalent failure of marriages appears to have given rise to a paradox in the argument for same-sex marriage: why would anyone desire inclusion in a practice that seems to have lost its meaning? Reportedly, over half of all marriages end in divorce. There are many arguments opposing and supporting the legalization and legal acknowledgement of marriage between two people of the same sex. My question is; should anybody oppose this situation using the argument that the traditionally heterosexual idea of marriage is ‘critical’ for the well-being of society? Specifically keeping in mind the moral condition of our society today? Homosexuality is not a new trend mysteriously sweeping the nation; it has, in fact, been a part of our country’s society since its founding. However, only in recent times has homosexuality been widely recognized as anything other than a psychological disorder. People are beginning to see it as a trait (whether it is cause by genetics or environment) that a person has the right to embrace. There are many legitimate arguments proposing that homosexual couples have a right to enter...
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...Gay Marriages Priscilla Reyes Sociology 120: Introduction to Ethics & Sociology Kathleen Miller March 10, 2013 Gay marriages, I don’t believe in gay marriages only in marriages between a man and woman. I know that a lot of gays or lesbians are trying to get the Supreme Court to approve same sex marriage. In California, the Supreme Court is trying to get same sex marriages ban nationwide. The gay and lesbian are using the law to have the same sex marriages pass and there have been about 3 states like Maine, Maryland, and Washington that have passed the same sex marriage. In other states like Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Jersey are against the same sex marriage. I don’t think that it should change what marriage is referring to between two men or two women; it is based on a man and woman marrying in holy matrimony. This is stated in the Bible and thru the standard government law and constitution. The government shouldn’t change the law of the constitution or the bill of rights because of same sex marriages. The gays and lesbians want the same rights as a man and a woman do when they get married, for instance if the significant other happens to pass away the significant other would inherited what their significant other left behind. It is not the same when a man inherited his wife life insurance policy or the wife inherits her husband’s life insurance. Marriage should only be between a man and a woman not two men or two women getting...
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...Gay Marriage PHI 103 February 14, 2011 Gay Marriage The American family has changed radically over the last several decades; its beginnings are traceable to the "sexual revolution" that began in the 1960's. A time where the father was the bread winner for his wife and biological children, to today where family arrangements aren't that model, we're now living many varied family arrangements. Unfortunately over the past decade there has become a wide acceptance of homosexuality, causing many differences in the society and government. These differences have raised the question of whether same-sex couples should be allowed to wed even if society says it is morally and ethically wrong or illegal. There are numerous issues surrounding the question of legalizing same-sex marriage. In the wake of recent state, and federal court decisions here in America, the argument over gay marriage has reached a crucial time here in America. With socialist as President and many other socialists in congress America is at a cross roads when it comes to this issue. There have been debates if gay marriage is right according to the Bible, and even if it’s legal according to the U.S. Constitution. What is marriage? Merriam- Webster defines it as “the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.” The United States does not recognize this by “law” so therefore legally same sex marriages can...
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...of happiness.” Gay marriage has become one of the hottest issues in politics. Supporters of gay marriage have compared their struggle for equality to an era when African- Americans were denied their right to vote, some have even argued that to be denied of your right to marry is also a direct violation of your civil rights. Non supporters of gay marriage beliefs are based more from a religious stand point as well personal values. With homosexuality being seen by a vast majority as being immoral and sinful, the biggest argument to date is that many people feel by allowing gay marriage to take place that this will weaken the institution of marriage and family values. On September 21, 1996 both houses of Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA a federal law which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. This law, signed by then President Bill Clinton denies the rights of same-sex couples to marry. Not only does this law prevent same-sex couples to marry, it also denies these men and women certain monetary benefits such as public employee benefits, social security survivors, government employee benefits. “Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg recently suggested at a University of Colorado interview that the Supreme Court could likely decide soon whether the law that bars federal recognition of same –sex marriage is constitutional” (Voorhees, 2012). Today a hotly debated question rages on in the United States, should the institution...
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...How Everyone’s View on Gay Marriage Should Change Marriage is a commitment between two individuals. It is the ultimate way of showing your significant other that you love them. At this moment, in many countries and states, it is not legal to get married and show each other this eternal love, if your significant other is of the same sex as you are. This has been a huge debate around the world, but especially in the US. The population in America seems to be very torn when it comes to discussing gay marriage. But why is that? An answer could be that there are many stereotypes about gay relationships, and many people have a narrow-minded and one-sided view on same sex marriage. This view can, and should, be changed, which is the main purpose of the article “How My View on Gay Marriage Changed” by David Blankenhorn, founder and president of the Institute for American Values. Blankenhorn was a remarkable figure in the campaign against same-sex marriage in the US, but as the title of his article states, this view changed: Blankenhorn’s main point of view in the beginning of the article is the fact that the United Nations Convention stated by the Rights of the Child that every child has the right to know their biological parents. He believes that “Marriage is the planet’s only institution whose core purpose is to unite the biological, social and legal components of parenthood into one lasting bond”. He uses logos and points out that it is actually a child’s right to know his or her...
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...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 that the state of Hawaii...
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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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