Student stance on gay marriage
April 15, 2013
The promise of love and lifelong dedication to another person is called a partnership, and the legal union to that person is called marriage, which guarantees legal and federal benefits, benefits that should be guaranteed for all United States citizens. Gay marriage is an extremely controversial topic for many. However with much press surrounding the Supreme Court debate over whether or not gay marriage should be legalized, this is becoming a regular conversation among my peers.
The simple idea that gay marriage undermines traditional marriage is preposterous. Two people who love each other wanting to be married under the law does not undermine the idea of marriage at all. What undermines the values of marriage would be Kim Kardashian’s 72-day marriage, or Britney Spears’ infamous Las Vegas marriage, which lasted a grand total of 55 hours. And who are we to take away a couple’s rights to be married? Their sole purpose of wanting a legal marriage is not to laugh or sneer in your face because their mission was to “devalue traditional marriage”, but rather to unite themselves, two loving people, so that they may have the federal and personal benefits that they are being denied by not being able to legally marry.
The Supreme Court is currently debating the constitutionality of DOMA, or the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 law passed that selectively denies same-sex couples federal responsibilities and rights. Equal protection under the law is a supposed guaranteed right for American citizens. Yet, without legal marriage rights, this value is undermined, making life difficult for gay partners to have stability in their families, and denies their children stability and legal benefits as well.
The Respect for Marriage Act is “A partnership of more than 100 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women’s organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry.”(www.respectformarriage.org).This act would would repeal DOMA, giving constitutional rights such as social security benefits, access to health coverage, recognition of family ties for immigration purposes, and thousands of other rights to homosexuals.
While many believe that being homosexual is a choice, extensive research shows that homosexuality is the result of genetics and a difference in brain structure. This led homosexual to be changed from “preference” to “orientation” due to the discovery of an autosomal recessive trait. While many believe homosexuality is a decision, these studies prove otherwise. Homosexuality has been found in every species on the planet, further demonstrating the genetic aspect. However, homophobia has only been found in one species: ours.
The fight over rights for all people is a battle that we have struggled with for centuries. It has caused war, death, suffering, and weakened our resolve as a people. This is America. We are a strong culture founded on independence and equal rights for all. People flock from all over the world to live the “American Dream”, yet our own citizens have to cross state lines to marry. This isn’t the nature of the American spirit.
Every day we pledge “Liberty and Justice for all!” proudly to the American flag, and we should honor that pledge. We should be past creating a second class for others because of their skin pigmentation, what they believe in, or who they love. In order to create a truly equal, stable society we need to give all American citizens the option of legal marriage rights , whether or not they love a man or a woman. It may seem far-fetched, but even as a teenager, you can help all American citizens be granted rights to marry by signing this petition sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign to repeal DOMA. While I realize that legalizing marriage isn’t going to resolve the prejudice many may have against homosexuals, erase the stereotype that every single gay man wants to go shopping with you and your friends, or stop bullying against kids and teens already struggling with their sexual orientation overnight, I think it’s a pretty good place to start. Allow every citizen, no matter who they love, equal rights of an American citizen. It’s time to change history.
Whether you support Gay Marriage or not, you can contact our elected congressional representative Sam Johnson of the Third District of Texas here with opinions or ideas.
Anonymous • Apr 19, 2013 at 3:20 pm
love is love
TheConscience • Apr 17, 2013 at 5:35 pm
This whole thing is idiotic. The reason there is an issue is because basically you have to get the government OK to get married. THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
Once Social Security (Money) was tied to Religion that is when this garbage started.
Take Social Security away from Marriage and everything gets fixed. Then churches can marry anybody they would like to with NO impact. Marriage is tied to religion and should NOT be tied to the government.
HSM • Apr 18, 2013 at 9:31 am
If you have to take tax benefits and SS out of marriage, you would have a riot. This is because there is currently a tax benefit for getting married. You don’t have to get married through a church; you can just do it at the courthouse. The government simply needs to stop dictating who can love who and then extend marriage benefits to all of it’s citizens.
TheConscience • Apr 18, 2013 at 7:19 pm
Bah Humbug, People should be able to designate who gets their benefits period. Once you can designate you beneficiaries religions can handle marriage anyway they want to. The government should have NO say.
Note their is NOT a constitutional right to marriage.
Anonymous • Apr 16, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Gay Mariage I think is wrong.
What’s even worse, is telling people how to live their life.
Melody Johannsen • Apr 15, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Amazing editorial, it was very well written. I’d just like to point out, though, that not everyone is prejudice even if they’re anti-gay rights. I am NOT for gay rights, but I would not look at a gay/lesbian person and act any differently (actually, I love having gay friends). I just base my principals off of my personal religion, and gay marriages do not fit that criteria. People can argue however much they want to about gay fitting into religion, but it doesn’t. I applaud you for finding scientific evidence for this, and although it doesn’t change my opinion, it was extremely well done!
Travis Troiani • Apr 16, 2013 at 8:59 am
It’s probably wrong of me to assume this, but I’m pretty sure your Christian, so I just wanted to point out that, yes, the bible says homosexuality is wrong but it also says slavery is okay, and that when people get divorced we should stone them, and that women are essentially property. You shouldn’t take the bible so literally, it says a lot of things that we disregard because they are wrong. And as for the scientific evidence if God hated homosexuality then why are people born gay?
Olivia Griffin • Apr 16, 2013 at 9:56 am
amen. The Bible was written 2000+ years ago, obviously society’s values have changed.
Jesus said “love thy neighbor”. That means that even if you don’t approve of their personal decisions, you still treat them like human beings.
Anonymous • Apr 16, 2013 at 9:58 am
I’m pretty sure the bible is against divorces and adultery as well, yet that doesn’t stop half of all marriages from ending in divorce…..
Melody Johannsen • Apr 17, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Yes, I am Christian, but I’m also someone who loves to hang out with gays and has no prejudice against them. Yes, the bible was written long ago, but there are basic foundations that can still be said for today. It says you’re not going to Heaven, or where ever you believe in (I’m not going to limit this to my religion, that’s not the point), if you are homosexual. It goes against what the bible has laid out for what God wants marriage to be. Now, that’s all fine and dandy, but saying that divorce and adultery are in the same category is wrong. There is free will, and where there is free will, there are mistakes. Those two things are mistakes. That’s not something that God “wants” or “wills”. It’s the opposite. Jesus says love thy neighbor, and you can love a gay person without believing that it’s a good thing that they’re gay. I DO love gay people, as people. I do not support them, though. There is a big difference. The bible was written in a time where slavery and unequal rights for women was alright. That obviously has changed, but they never said that “if you don’t own slaves, you’re not going to Heaven”. They never said “if you’re a woman, you’re not going to Heaven”. Actually, it has women as prophets. Society’s values have changed, God’s haven’t.
Doug Laman • Apr 18, 2013 at 3:01 pm
I honestly believe you do go to Heaven, regardless of your religion or if your a homosexual or not. God loves us all after all, regardless if they’re gay or not.
Anonymous • Apr 19, 2013 at 9:22 am
The type marriage discussed in the article is marriage with state, not the church. You personal religious views have nothing to do with the states decision to allow all people the same rights. I don’t understand how you can have these gay friends and say you have no prejudice against them and yet you expect them not to have the same basic rights as you. They never got a choice in their orientation and now you expect them to suffer for it? I don’t think thats what God had in mind at all. How can you support a bill called the Defense Of Marriage Act, it sounds like we’re defending our marriages agains the “horrible gays” who are attempting to pollute it with their “choices.” You say you like you gay friends, but you obviously don’t like them enough not to discriminate against them.
Melody Johannsen • Apr 19, 2013 at 12:08 pm
@Doug – God DOES love everyone, does not mean that they’re going to go to Heaven. Technically speaking, he loves the Devil as well, but he is banished and will never set foot in Heaven. The fact that you believe you get to Heaven “regardless of your religion” contradicts itself, considering Heaven is solely for religion, and “God” is solely for a certain religion, too. I’m not going to claim to know the requirements for getting to Heaven, since alot of different denominations like to squabble about the technicalities of it. The bible strictly says you WON’T get to Heaven (more or less) if you’re homosexual.
@Anonymous – I never was questioning the marriage from state, nor the scientific facts of the article or anything of the sort. I was applauding the person who wrote the article, and I vaguely mentioned the fact that my religion/personal views don’t match up. That was not the focus of my original comment. You may not understand it, but it’s true so I’m not going to try to convince you that I can love people without believing they’re going to Heaven. I do not force my religion on other people, and I’m not going to do it to them or to you. They do have the same basic rights as me, except for the state’s marriage. They could easily go to another state, get married, and then return and there really wouldn’t be that large of a problem. Or they could go to California and be married by common law. Marriage itself was based off of religion in the first place, and obviously they don’t have that same religious basis if they’re homosexual.
Anonymous • May 11, 2013 at 7:22 pm
Religion is to make you a better person, not to give you grounds to discriminate. Would God approve of “judges with evil thoughts” either? No.
Anonymous • Apr 17, 2013 at 1:26 pm
that still doesnt make those things right either? those are looked down apon in the bible just like gay marriage
HSM • Apr 18, 2013 at 9:28 am
It’s not that they are so much wrong or right, the government shouldn’t be rooted in the biblical rights or wrongs. There is supposed to be freedom of religion, so they would have to take religion in general, which is not possible. We also have separation of church and state, therefore, the government’s legislation should not be rooted in religion anyways. The government assures “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for every US citizen. Why do they have a right to dictate who can get married and who can love each other and still receive tax benefits. DOMA is just wrong, and if the supreme court doesn’t fix it themselves, public majority is in favor of a repeal.
Olivia Griffin • Apr 15, 2013 at 11:58 am
Great article and opinion. Honestly divorce is a greater disrespect to traditional marriage than two men or women tying the knot. As Jesus preached, “love thy neighbor”. Pretty sure if he were around today he would be in support of treating people respectfully, regardless of their personal views or sexual orientation.
Doug Laman • Apr 15, 2013 at 9:52 am
Kudos for speaking this potentially controversial opinion! I agree wholeheartedly with such a thought, and feel legalized gay marriage should be available for all of those who desire it. Those who are against need to let go of their prejudices and come to terms with the modern day support for this crusade for equality.
This is all just a wordy way of saying this is a terrifically written article!
TheConscience • Apr 17, 2013 at 5:52 pm
http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Islam_and_Homosexuality
In the case of homosexuality, how it is dealt with differs between the four mainline schools of Sunni jurisprudence today, but what they all agree upon is that homosexuality is worthy of a severe penalty.
In the Hanafi school of thought, the homosexual is first punished through harsh beating, and if he/she repeats the act, the death penalty is to be applied.
As for the Shafi`i school of thought, the homosexual receives the same punishment as adultery (if he/she is married) or fornication (if not married). This means, that if the homosexual is married, he/she is stoned to death, while if single, he/she is whipped 100 times. Hence, the Shafi`i compares the punishment applied in the case of homosexuality with that of adultery and fornication.
The Hanafi differentiates between the two acts because in homosexuality, anal sex [something that is prohibited, regardless of orientation] may also be involved, while in adultery [and fornication], the penis/vagina (which are reproductive parts) are involved.
Note last time I checked Islam is the fastest growing religion in the modern day world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claims_to_be_the_fastest-growing_religion
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion by number of conversions each year: “Although the religion began in Arabia, by 2002 80% of all believers in Islam lived outside the Arab world.