Same Sex Marriage

"Should we allow gay couples to legally marry?" Same sex marriage has become a national issue, putting religious and social conservatives against gay rights advocates. Marriage is viewed by some as the ultimate expression of love for another person. When person decides to marry someone he/she are saying, “I love you so much that I would like to spend the rest of my life with you and forsake all others”. Heterosexual couples are allowed to express their love for one another in the form of marriage, so why won’t we allow homosexual couples to do the same? The material argues that the right to marriage is a violation of religious freedom and a form of discrimination. It is also important to note that by not allowing people to marry based on their gender we are overlooking the main reason people get married, love.

One of the main arguments for denying homosexuals the right to marriage is that in many religions homosexuality is considered a sin. “However, the First Amendment of the Constitution clearly states that a person's religious views or lack thereof must be protected. Marriage by the state is a secular activity; the government cannot start making laws just because a religion says they should” (Messerli, 2009). The state cannot deny same sex marriages based on religious reasons because the state is suppose to act bias toward religious beliefs, and marriage is an act that is carried out by the state.

Proponents of gay marriage argue that not allowing homosexuals to get married because of their sexual orientation is a form of discrimination. Homosexuals often compare their struggle to the civil rights movement. “History, shows us that marriage is a civil right that has expanded over time to include previously marginalized groups; gays now deserve those rights as well” (Hymowitz, 2004). The civil rights movement was founded on the idea of equality and putting an end to discrimination. Homosexuals are facing a very visible form of discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender.

Above all, love should be the main reason why people get married. Marriage is considered the ultimate expression of love. “The number one reason that heterosexuals marry is not to establish legal status, allow joint filing of taxes, or protect each other in medical decision-making. They marry because it is the ultimate expression of a person's love for another” (Messerli, 2009). Homosexuals want to be able to express their love in a form that says, “I love you above everything else”, and the way to do that is through marriage.

Messerli and Hymowits state that prohibiting same sex marriage is a violation of the First Amendment, which prohibits the making of any law “respecting an establishment of religion”. Prop 8 is a constitutional amendment in California which provides that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Therefore, laws such as Prop 8 are in violation of their constitutional rights. Messerli’s assertion regarding the concept of love and marriage is questionable. Yes, it may hold true that most people marry for love but this may not be the case for all gay couples. Messerli fails to provide evidence that would reinforce his argument on love. In contrast he does provide the pros and cons of same sex marriage, alleviating the bias in his article. Hymowitz argument is based on the concept of the civil rights movement. The movement was intended to bring full civil rights and equality to all Americans under the law, and this is the same equality that homosexual couples are fighting for.

There are many conflicting arguments. Virtually every religion in the world considers homosexuality unacceptable and a sin for the following reasons: first, it would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage, second, it would further weaken the traditional family values essential to our society, finally, homosexual lifestyle is not something to be encouraged. I’m an advocate of same sex marriage. My research indicates that same sex couples should be awarded the rights of marriage just like heterosexuals due to the Bill of Rights. Mefford asserts that “Probably the greatest drawback to same-sex marriages is the blatant and often unconsidered discrimination and denial of human rights to same-sex couples” (Mefford, 2009). Mefford also claims that same sex couples should not have the right to marry. Religion and society should not be able to dictate who you’re allowed to marry. It should be a personal decision. Therefore, I’m not opposed to legalizing same sex marriage.

Bibliography
Holmes, S., & Holmes, R. (2009). Sex Crimes: Patterns and Behaviors. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
Hymowitz, K. (2004). Gay Marriage vs American Marriage. City Journal .
Mefford, D. (2009). The Pros and Cons of Same Sex Marriage. Edu Book .
Messerli, J. (2009, 5 24). Should Same Sex Marriages Be Legalized? Retrieved from BalancedPolitics.org: http://www.balancedpolitics.org/same_sex_marriages.htm