...What would happen if gay marriage were to be legalized across the country? Would a third World War break out? Would Various plagues erupt nationwide? Would schools begin teaching kids how to have gay sex? Would the terrorists win? Probably not; although, my intuition tells me that the “worst” thing that could possibly come from the legalization of gay marriage is, well, the marriage of gay couples. Now, I do not recall the legal union of two heterosexual strangers influencing an individuals life in our world today; why would it if these two individuals happened to be homosexual? When addressing the theories of ethics, cultural relativism states that cultures evolve in the way that species do (pp) . Over the past years, decades, generations, and centuries, our country has come and exceedingly long way in regards to what is considered morally right and wrong. Amongst many contentions within the longevity of our nation there were notorious ones such as: the ban of interracial marriages, prohibition era, the advertising of cigarette smoking, and even the fact that years ago it was morally incorrect for a married couple to sleep in the same bed. Interracial marriages were viewed almost identically to how gay marriage is viewed today: iniquitous and abominate. When the ban was lifted in 1967 it progressively became okay for interracial couples to get married, and now at least a fourth of Americas population is biracial. When the prohibition era ended, the selling, manufacturing...
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...with certain unalienable rights. These words were written over two-hundred years ago, and even then, the people believed in the importance of equality. All men are created equal, and therefore there should be no discrimination. History shows the discrimination of African-Americans and how our country has evolved regarding racism, but now there is a form of discrimination that is becoming more prevalent. This form of discrimination is towards those of other sexual orientations, such as those who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Discrimination, under any circumstances, is morally wrong, and discrimination based on sexual orientation needs to be addressed. Along with the degrading discrimination based on sexual orientation, comes the subjection of verbal abuse and other hate crimes. A gay and lesbian anti-violence report states that 75% of hate crimes are committed by people under the age of 30, and one in three are under the age of 18. More than 80% of victims of violent hate crimes never report the incident, because many are afraid they will be “outed”. Such horrific discrimination and violence can often result in low self esteems, and in some cases, even suicide. Young lesbians, gays, and bisexuals are at a quadruple risk for suicide than people of the same age that are straight. Anti-gay hate crime rates have risen dramatically; an incredible 172% in just the past decade. This tragedy has even become prevalent in families. One study showed that 26% of gay and lesbian teenagers who...
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...chose the topic of gay marriage. I chose gay marriage because I know that there has been a lot of controversy over the subject. People either say gay marriage is unnatural, immoral, and wrong or to not let them marry is discrimination and not equal treatment. The first article is arguing for gay marriage and the second article is arguing against it. While both articles give some good arguments, the first article is definitely the stronger of the two. I myself am against gay marriage, but both of these articles pose good points, but also some flaws. The first article I read was from USA Today arguing that the problem with not allowing gay marriage is that it’s not equal treatment. They start out the article with giving a premise saying that traditionalist only see marriage in religious terms and that they say by common definition, marriage involves a man and woman. I think this argument is weak because the premise isn’t really supporting the conclusion, its just saying that a certain group of people thinks that way. After this they propose the premise saying that judges look at marriage as far from a religious matter and that the state gives married couples privileged treatment under law. I think this premise is weak because it doesn’t really explain how they homosexuals are treated unequal, it’s just saying what privileges married couples get. Next he goes on to give the premise that homosexual couples, even some together 20-30 years, don’t have the rights that other married...
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...decide and swallow a lethal dosage of Seconal, a barbiturate (Richardson,2011). Physician –assisted suicide involves performing lethal means available to the patient so that he or she will use at the time of his or her choosing. By contrast, euthanasia means the physician participating in carrying out the patient's request, which mostly is administering the lethal drug. Physician-assisted suicide is less emotional to the physician as the patient will indeed choose own death while in euthanasia the physician is likely to be emotionally affected by the final blow of ending the patient's life is take by the doctor (Dworkin, Bok ,Frey, p.136). This paper focuses on various arguments of individuals while trying to deduce whether it is morally right to approve or...
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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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...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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...Homosexuality Right Or Wrong? by Nazha Gali My topic is homosexuality and the natural law theory. The natural law theory, which was founded by Aquinas, rests on a certain view that the world has a rational order with values and purposes built into its very nature. And since homosexuality is against the orders of nature, the natural law theory totally condemns it. I disagree with this point of view because I choose not to judge homosexuals but instead I accept them as members of our society. Middle Eastern societies do not accept homosexuals because their beliefs are against it, but sometimes different behaviors can add to the diversity in a society. We should not let homosexuals feel like they are being looked down upon or treated differently than any other human being. Rather, we should try to understand the basis of their behavior and take consideration into the causes that led these people to practice homosexuality. Some causes are social while others are biological. There may have been many social causes or experiences that might have lead to homosexual behavior. The main biological cause for homosexuality has been identified to be related to the abnormally high levels of the female hormones progesterone and estrogen. Also there have been studies indicating that some parts of the brain that control attitude and behavior are slightly smaller in homosexual males compared to normal male brains. Homosexuality is a very debatable issue and some people view it as morally wrong and...
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...Gays in Our Ranks “I don’t want any fruitcakes near me.” Those were the exact words that came from the mouth of Damien, one my co-workers, when I asked for his opinion on gays in the military. According to the latest polls from the National Post, 50% of military households feel the same way as him (Man para 7). Even with the majority of America in favor for letting gays serve openly in the military, this controversial topic is getting many Americans riled up. I stand on the side of the fence that supports the repeal on the ban that’s prohibiting homosexuals from joining the armed forces. There can be many benefits if we let gays in our ranks. It was Damien’s response that reminded me how ignorant people can be. I immediately insisted for a good explanation for his remark, but he wasn’t able to produce one. “If I’m in a war zone, I want somebody watching my back for my protection. I don’t want them watching me out of sheer bliss.” That was the explanation he gave me as he walked away with the look of annoyance on his face. I wondered, was he annoyed because he realized he sounded like a buffoon, or maybe my facial expressions revealed my disgust towards him. Homosexuals are human beings, and I am a strong believer that they should have the right to defend our country as long as they meet physical and ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) requirements. There aren’t many people who are willing to put on our nation’s uniform especially when America is at war;...
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...Hui Xi 01/12/2012 Individual Rhetor’s Responsibility to Society In a society, rhetors play an important role. They use the art of persuasion to change people’s moods, emotions, and behaviors. Their art, the art of rhetoric, is a great power to “drives our social lives.” (Heinrichs 4) and move our society forward. Because of this supreme power, rhetors do have responsibilities; they should be honest, and not be hypocritical, but they also can’t be restricted by the social consensus. Since rhetoric is the art of influence,” (Heinrichs 4) rhetors who can’t undertake their responsibilities well, will mislead people and then our society will not be better functioned. A rhetor, who might be a politician, a reporter or even a social citizen, should be basically honest. There is no doubt that using rhetoric for persuasion is a skillful thing. But it still doesn’t mean that rhetors should use tricks to deceive people. Because sometimes a rhetor’s misleading persuasion can damage others’ lives. There are different rhetors in the movie Thank You for Smoking. They use different ways persuading people to believe their words. The most impressive one is called Nick Naylor. He is a spokesperson for the tobacco company and he uses twisting arguments to draw other people’s attention. Everyday he not only persuade people to smoke, but also use different words to deal with the protests from anti tobacco group, environmental group and scientific group in order to earn interest...
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...The ONE Inc. vs. Olesen case was a critical legal battle for gay rights leading up to 1969, highlighting the most explicit ways in which the LGBT community was censored, particularly by the US federal government. I highly recommend these excerpts, from both the federal and Supreme Court rulings, be included in our pre-Stonewall Riots compendium. ONE Inc. was the "first widely distributed publication for homosexuals in the United States," formed to “publish...a magazine dealing primarily with homosexuality from the scientific, historical and critical point of view, and to aid in the social integration and rehabilitation of the sexual variant,” providing an unapologetic voice for the LGBT community during an otherwise dismal time period (“History”). The magazine included fictional writings by and about LGBT people, such as a lesbian-authored poem entitled “Proud and Unashamed”, and current events concerning the...
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...A debate is being placed across the country: Should the government allow gay marriage in ALL 50 states? They answer to this well known debate is yes. Marriage fifty years or so ago no longer really seems to apply in this day in age. If America says no to gay marriage, than the land of the free and the right to supposibly have the pursuit of happiness, actually discriminates against people. How can legislators say the are saving the traditional familes if more than 50 persent of of hetrosexual marriages end in divorec? Living in America, the land of the free people who are homosexuality should not get the end of the stick. They are human just like hetrosexual person and deserve the same rights. I belive my opioin is moraly respectable, no matter what my catholic upbringing tries to pursued me in beliving. To have our goveremt say who we can and can’t marry just isn’t right. The government cant control love and commitment. The purpose of our government is to make decision that will benfit the entire country, not just individual people. We need to take our moral out of the picture and make choice that give all a chance to equale. Allowing gay marriage is fair to not only hetrosexuallys, but all to supoorting people in their lives. If the United states allow gay marrige in all states and gives the same rights to heterosexuality couples that homosexual couple have this does not mean were asking all homophobic people to accept gays. Everyone has their own beliefs, and not...
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...Same sex marriage as defined in our text book, Doing Ethics, refers to the marriage in a full legal sense of gay and lesbian couples. (Vaughn 2013, p 451) Marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God with Adam and Eve. According to the scripture, Matthew 19: 4-5, New Testament, Jesus reaffirms this “He answered, Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female: and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one?” However, the media is supportive and liberal in their views of views if same-sex marriage. Even the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines marriage as the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband and wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. But as the second definition, it states, the state of being united to a person of the same sex or a relationship like that of a traditional marriage. Same-sex marriage is one of the most controversial issues in the world. According to our text book, Doing Ethics, William Bennett warns of the dire consequences of legalizing same sex unions. He states that “the legal union of same-sex couples would shatter the conventional definition of marriage, change the rules which govern behavior, endorse practices which are completely antithetical to the tenets (a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy) of all the world’s major...
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...aspects of homosexuality and the gay rights movement As a student of the medical debate over homosexuality, the gay rights movement, and the Bible, I believe I have an insightful perspective on the debates over homosexuality. In the last half of the twentieth century a divisive theological debate over homosexual behavior developed when gay activists created their own revisionist interpretation of the Bible to support their claim that homosexual behavior is neither immoral nor sinful. This revisionist theology has been labeled “gay theology.” Many Christians are not aware that in 1968 a gay activist started a Christian denomination called the Metropolitan Community Church based on gay theology. In this introduction I will point out some obvious errors in gay revisionist arguments and outline a much wider scope of biblical principles that are related to how the church deals with homosexuals and the gay political movement. Scripture and gay revisionism Gay activists contend there are only seven scriptures that address homosexuality in the Bible and therefore homosexual behavior is insignificant in scripture. Gay activists also contend that theologians have misinterpreted the seven scriptures. The seven main scriptures are the Genesis account of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), the Mosaic Law in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, the letter by Jude verse 7, and the Apostle Paul’s letters in Romans 1:26-7, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and 1 Timothy 1:9-10. Gay activists like to point out that...
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...DING PEI WOON 14WTD05297 Gay Marriage: Right or Wrong ? The recognition of same sex marriage.Some of us may not accept gay marriage as they think that it give many disadvantage. Reason that gay marriage must be opposed. First is that some of the people thinks that gay marriage is not marriage. This is because that marriage has always been a covenant between a man a woman which is by its nature ordered toward the procreation and education of children and the unity and well being of the spouses. However, the promoters of gay marriage propose something entirely different. They propose the union between two men or two women. This denies the self-evident biological, physiological and psychological differences between men and women which find their complementarity in marriage. It also denies the specific primary purpose of marriage which is the perpetuation of the human race and the raising of children. Second point is that the gay marriage violates the natural law. Marriage is not just any relationship between human beings. It is a relationship rooted in human nature and thus governed by natural law. Natural law’s most elementary precept is that “ good is to be done and pursued, and evil is to be avoided.” By his natural reason, man can perceive what is morally good or bad for him. Thus, he can know the end or purpose of each ofhis act into the act’s purpose. Any situation which instituitionalises the circumvention of the purpose of the sexual act violates natural law and...
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...| Professor Carl Jean | 6/21/2012 | Pages 1-6 | The ongoing debate over gay marriage bothers people in many ways. Marriage has always been defined as a legal binding between one woman and one man that is recognized by law and involves certain legal, social rights and duties. Marriage in my eyes should be defined as a legal binding between any two people who are in love, whether it is two men or two women. It is not written anywhere in stone that a man is made for a woman and vice versa. I think that there is somebody for everybody and many people may not find that in the opposite sex. Same sex couples are treated as if they are not citizens when they are just like the rest of us. I’m not into women but I think that we were all created equals and should be treated the same way. We should all be given the same privileges and rights. No matter what life we choose to live, we should all be able to express our love to the person we choose to spend our lives with through marriage without any restrictions. Marriage has been defined as a legal binding between one woman and one man. That definition of marriage is unfair to many same sex couples because they are not given the right to legally marry the person who they have chosen to spend their life with. So many people think they choosing to be with a person of the same sex is morally wrong, but same sex couples may feel as if being with someone of the opposite sex is wrong. Everyone has a different outlook on life and...
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