...Should Same-sex Marriages be Legalized? Kristina Linthicum PHI 200: Mind and Machine Instructor Michele Clearman-Warner May 5, 2011 Should Same-sex Marriages be Legalized? In recent news articles, it is being said that the legalization of same-sex marriages is imminent. But the biggest debate about the issue is should it be legalized? While there are many points that are for and against the issue, one thing remains. This is a legal issue on whether the law should be changed. When deciding whether a law should be changed, it should be viewed in a legal manner. Here is why same-sex marriages should be legalized in the United States of America. Part I: Thesis The United States of America was based on freedom. While each freedom was not spelled out in the constitution, it is something that can not be refuted. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines to marry as “to take a spouse or to unite in close and usually permanent relations” (Definition 2). While it is socially more accepted now than ever for same-sex couples to live together and even have children together, why are they being held back in receiving the freedom and benefits every opposite-sex couples receive? The right to be able to marry should be equal whether in same-sex couples or opposite-sex couples. Finkelstein (2011) points out that “marriage strengthens commitment between couples and therefore brings stability into the lives of those who enter in it”. If same-sex couples are able to cohabitate...
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...Why Same-Sex Marriages Shall Be Legalized Paul Elander Comp II Susan Cochran 3/15/2013 Abstract The amount of support that is currently being gained for the movement of same sex-marriages within the United States as well as throughout the world is stupendous. Not only do influential political figures agree but also the medical and psychological fields are beginning to “see the light” about homosexuality. The impact of denying same-sex marriages not only violates their civil liberties but also denies them the benefits in which they normally would be entitled with the same equality and fairness of their heterosexual counterparts. Americans pride themselves with the freedom, liberty and happiness to pursue their dreams and ambitions; the same can be said for those who are homosexuals, since they are Americans as well In the United States, several states recognize same-sex marriages with varying degrees of recognition and conditions surrounding the issue. In total, same-sex marriages account for 15.7% of the population in the United States. Advocates of same sex marriage have grown over the years and have received support from many people, even from current President Barack Obama who publicly acknowledged his support for the legalization of same-sex marriage (Klein, 2012). Many arguments have been put forth for and against same-sex marriage and it is evident that supporters of gay marriage are gaining stronger grounds. Firstly, advocates state that the right to marry...
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...Mill’s On Liberty and Same-Sex Marriage Legalization There has been a significant amount of controversy in the past few years leading up to the current regarding the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States. In the recent election, many states have voted in favor of the legalization of same-sex marriage. However, there has been little movement towards legalization on the federal level. Earlier this year, President Obama made the statement supporting the idea that same-sex marriage should be legal. Thus, making a statement on one of the most vexed, and politically charged social issues being faced in the United States presently. Obama made this statement knowing that in a few months he would be announcing his campaign for reelection, and thus received fierce opposition from many groups as well as his Republican opponent in his race for reelection. My personal stance on this issue is that without a doubt, same-sex marriage should be legalized. In the process of legalization, it would give every American citizen regardless of sexual orientation the ability to marry and their union to be recognized on the federal level. Many individuals might argue that this would degrade the sanctity of marriage, but with the percentage of marriages ending in divorce or otherwise that argument can hardly be supported. Another opposition that is brought up repeatedly is that the Bible and other religious scriptures do not speak in support of same-sex marriage and thus deeming it...
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...Luther King Jr. They say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, well, ‘marriage is in the psyche of the being’. There is no cut-and-dry definition of marriage but marriage-between-the-opposite-sex is the norm in most societies, the reason why same-sex marriage is not accepted in almost all countries in the world. Same-sex marriage is defined as a union between two people who are of the same gender or biological sex. Same-sex couples want to marry for all the same reasons as their opposite-sex counterparts. These reasons include: to publicly celebrate their commitment, because they are in love, and/or for the legal security and benefits of marriage. Married partners have immediate access to all relationship entitlements, protections and responsibilities. A marriage certificate also allows married partners to easily prove their legal rights if challenged, for example in emergency situations. The capacity to quickly and easily prove one’s relationship status is particularly important for same-sex partners because prejudice against same-sex relationships can mean legal rights are denied. Another practical benefit of marriage is that it is a widely recognized legal relationship. The pro legalization of same-sex marriage wants to promote equal rights and to prevent discrimination against the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender. They believe that exclusion of same-sex attracted people from marriage also sends out the message that discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation...
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...Should same-sex marriage be legalized federally with all states required to comply? As of Feb. 9, 2015, gay marriage has been legalized in 37 U.S states. Twenty-seven percent of Americans thought same-sex marriage should be legal in 1996, according to a Gallup Poll. Fifty-five percent of Americans think it should be legal in 2014, according to the same poll. Legalizing same-sex marriage could have benefits related to an economic boost and the sanctity of marriage. Another reason it should be legal is because marriage is not only a human right, but it is also a civil right. I don’t see why the other 13 states shouldn’t be required to comply with the legalization of same-sex marriage. Many argue that the legalization of same-sex marriage would require more government spending and less revenue, but that is incorrect. The country’s economy would benefit from the legalization of same-sex marriage. The legalization of same-sex marriage has been proven to provide an economic boost to those states and countries that have made same-sex marriage legal. Government revenue from marriage comes from marriage licenses, higher income taxes in some circumstances, and decreases in costs for state benefit programs. Allowing gay couples to marry provides businesses in this industry with a large and new market to access. Nearly $260 million was injected into the New York City economy in the year following the legalization of same-sex marriage. Gay marriage tourism benefits those states which...
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...Gay Marriage debate Recently, gay marriage has become an issue of great concern all over the world. The question whether this marriage should be legalized has continued to raise heated-up debates in all social, religious and political arenas. The matter was has come into fresh discussion after the president of The United states of America passed a motion that allows gay marriage in the country. The following is an analysis of a debate that was held to discuss whether gay marriage should be legalized. Arguments supporting legalization of gay marriages If two people are in love, regardless of whether they are both male, both female, or of the opposite sex, it should be no one else’s business. The decision as to whether they are committing their lives to living together lies on them, and should not be jeopardized by the opinions, believes and feelings of others. They have a right to get married- if they so wish, as marriage is a personal decision, and one chooses the life he wants to live, as long as he/she does not compel others to follow that way, and as long as as the decision does not violate or endanger the rights of others (gaymarriage.procon.org). When same sex couples, such as gay couples, are denied the right to get into marriage, it sends the notion that it is acceptable to discriminate against gay people. It depicts such people as social and moral misfits, and thus exposes them to unfair treatment by the members of the society. As much as one may argue that the authorities...
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...President is seemingly for the legalization. Days following the statement by Biden, President Obama made a claim also supporting the marriage equality movement. Consequently, two of the highest figures within the government are pro equality, so other politicians probably think the same way. The outreach of other members of the government will eventually come to light as their comfort grows. The central idea the Supreme Court was most likely envisaging that as Americans we strive for equality. An abrupt truth is that the LGBT community is anything but equal. The community has been discriminated against, bullied, shamed, and harassed. Even with the success that the community had...
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...Here Same-sex marriage has been an ongoing issue for quite some time in the United States and it has existed throughout all of history; it has gone on a roller coaster of decisions just in the past fifteen years. The United States has not always been in favor of same-sex marriage, however, there are regions within the US, such as Massachusetts, that did get off of the path of the rest of the country and made their own laws about granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. “Since 2001, ten countries and other nation-states have begun to legally formalize same-sex marriages, including Canada, Spain, and some regions within the United States” (Reidel 275). With the support of gay marriage from President Barack Obama, a few other states were in support also. The support of same-sex marriage comes from the belief that it would better our society and that it is an equal right amongst couples. Despite the factual evidence, there are still many people who believe that same-sex marriage would harm our society, but there is always an argument against that. The legalization of gay marriage would better our society and there are many sources and an ample amount of research to prove that. Same-sex marriage should be an equal right. As African-Americans once fought for their freedom, women once fought for their right to vote, now homosexuals are fighting for their right to marry. The constitution says that everyone has a right to liberty and equality; however same-sex couples...
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...Same-Sex Marriage and Tradition Nancy Messer University of Phoenix Business Communications and Critical Thinking COM275 Fernando Gutierrez-Rueda November 01, 2012 Same Sex-Marriage and Tradition Gay marriage violates tradition. The definition of “tradition”, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a “long-established custom or belief that has been passed on from one generation to another”. It has been a long-established custom and belief that marriage should only exist between a man and a woman. “A central point of contention in the national debate over same-sex marriage is the importance of preserving tradition. Opponents of such bans argue that tradition is an illegitimate justification for the bans, while defenders of traditional marriage contend that tradition is not only a legitimate justification, but is in fact sufficiently important to withstand heightened judicial scrutiny.” (Ford-Mazrui, 2011, para. 1) Society divides themselves based on class: income, religion, finances, ethnicity, etc.; the majority holding control over the minority since the beginning of time. There is and always will be some group of minorities that are segregated. Traditionally, most cultures have defined marriage as a unification of one man and one woman, but tradition has a dark history. Tradition includes the ownership of slaves, incongruous treatment of workers, and the denial of rights to women. The abolishment of slavery, the women’s rights movement, and civil rights proved that...
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...thirty-five-hundred years ago” (Haggerty & Lewis). Same sex marriage has been a hot topic in the United States for a very long time. This issue is highly important because marriage is a human right and it a basic moral that all should know. Many people are against gay marriage because according to many right wing conservatives being gay is a choice and that it is against what we learn from the bible. Same sex marriage should be legalized in every state in the United States because it is a basic human right, it shows family values and anti- discrimination, will increase children adoption rates and same sex marriage will also bring financial benefits. Gay marriage should be legal in the United States because it is a basic human right. Although conservatives will continue to debate the issues of gay rights and same sex marriages for years to come, there has been many improvements. Many individuals that oppose gay marriage will “come to understand the fundamental injustice of subjecting gay and lesbian Americans to their own form of Jim Crow rather than sharing in equal rights for all” (Lampo). There is no different from what this nation did to African Americans during the Civil rights movement, to what we are doing to same-sex couples today, not allowing them to get marries. Recognized federal civil rights law in the United States is grounded in the U.S. Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court. By this standard, marriage has long been established as a civil right. The operative...
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...Gay Marriage: The Complicated Moral Debate The debate on gay marriage is a complicated one. Many different emotions, ideas, and opinions are formed from the subject. There are some who believe that gay marriage is morally wrong, and damages the foundation of the traditional marriage. Andrew Sullivan, a gay rights activist, stated in his article Here Comes the Groom (New Republic, 2015): The argument that gay marriage would subtly undermine the unique legitimacy of straight marriage is based upon a fallacy…Gay marriage could only delegitimize straight marriage if it were a real alternative to it, and this is clearly not true. Gay marriage is not, in short, a denial of family values. It’s an extension of them. (p. 38) In the religious lens on the topic of gay marriage, traditional Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin, which is why it is usually condemned by the church (Dias, 2015). In addition, there are also people that believe gay marriage should not be a law recognized by the federal or state municipalities because they consider it an ‘alternative lifestyle’, a choice made rather than a biologically inherited trait (Rich, 2015). In the next few paragraphs, I will discuss the history of legalization of gay marriage in America, the religious communities’ outlook on the subject of gay marriage, how Hollywood has influenced the gradual acceptance of gay marriage by showing more homosexual people in media, and also discuss some of the psychological and sociological effects...
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...BCOM/275 November 6, 2012 Charlene Sowell 2 Should Same-Sex Marriages be legalized? This rebuttal article is about how same sex marriages should be legalized. In this paper valid points will be made to refute the statements made by Pope Benedict XVI, of the Roman Catholic Church on Jan. 9, 2012. Pope Benedict XVI told Vatican diplomats from 179 countries that same-sex marriage threatens "human dignity" in his annual "State of the World". The Pope Benedict XVI based his claim on his belief saying that Roman Catholic Church "cannot approve of legal initiatives that imply a re-evaluation of the life of the couple and the family." I think that people should take action on what they believe is right for them. Pope Benedict XVI quoted that "Education needs settings. Among these, pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman," said the man who is head of the 1.3 billion-members of the Catholic Church. "This is not a simple social convention, but rather the fundamental cell of every society. Consequently, policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself." Some people would say this is biased and flawed. Besides the Pope there is no other Major Priest or Pastor sounding off the alarm saying that same sex marriages can threaten human dignity and future humanity itself. The Pope was unnecessarily scaring people. I also found out that ten countries allow same-sex couples to marry. Also it is legal in six Us States...
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...ESL 1060-005 Junjie Huang (Tiya) Argument Paper 3rd Draft 11/15/2012 “Rainbow” Is Beautiful Recently, there is a popular status on Facebook and Twitter saying that a Chinese man and an English man get married and both of them are very handsome. They got a number of benedictions but some people felt it was unbelievable and disgusting. Same-sex marriage has been one of the most debated and controversial arguments in these recent years. Gay marriage is meaning that two same-sex people get married instead of a man and a woman gets married. As time goes by, more and more people are open-minded and accept gay marriage. However, there are still a number of people who cannot agree with gay marriage and even hate it. In the United States, some states have already legalized gay marriage but most states haven’t yet. Gay marriage should be legalized in the United States because homosexual love is a normal phenomenon, everyone has his own right to choose his marriage partner, and gay marriage legalization is good for the United States becoming a more democratic country. Traditional people think that a man should get married with a woman but should not get married with a man. Homosexual love is different from straight love. Because homosexual is different, people consider it a mental illness. Actually, homosexual love is a normal phenomenon. It has been proved that homosexual love is not mental illness. A gay’s gene distinguishes them from normal people’s gene and homosexual love...
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...One, Happiness for All Gay marriage has been a debate for decades now. It is such an important topic in today’s society because it plays a roll between the basic moral and human rights that are allowed as a society. Many gay couples have begun to come out and voice their sexual preference to their family and friends. On September 21, 1996 when President Bill Clinton sighed the Defense of Marriage Act which banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage and defined marriage as a “legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife,” it gave people a conception of the definition of marriage in which we have since come a long way. Although many people are still against the legalization of same sex marriage, same sex marriage should be legalized in every state because it is their civil rights which are a completely separate from the religion aspect, it will increase a strong family value and help to increase the number of child adoptions, and will bring a surplus of financial benefits. Many people in today’s world believe that same sex marriage should not be legalized because it goes against the moral definition of marriage. According to the dictionary, marriage is “the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband and wife in a consensual and contractual relationship organized by law” (Marriage. (n.d.)). This definition allows people to have a biased conception of what the term marriage means. Though marriage is defined as a holy matrimony...
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...prevailing factors involved in the decision. The principles of Substantives Ultra Vires, Natural Justice and Legitimate Expectations form a major part of this study and consequently the researchers have recommended options to be considered by both David and the Empowerment Board. BACKGROUND FACTS Across the globe there is growing pressure by homosexual couples to get their “unions” officially recognized by governments. This would enable them to be legally considered married, and thus provide them with the protection and benefits currently only enjoyed by heterosexual couples. While recognition of same-sex couples has been slow in coming, since 2001 twelve countries officially allow same-sex marriage, with several other jurisdictions though not allowing the legal unity in their jurisdiction, recognizing same sex marriages performed elsewhere....
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