Gay Marriages Essay, Research Paper

When you are born in America or legalized as a citizen, you are granted certain

unalienable rights under the constitution and the declaration of independence.

We are granted the freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, the

right to vote, right to bear arms and the right to the pursuit of happiness. But

is this really the case? Are the citizens of the United States really as free as

they believe? I say no! Today I am here to expose a great injustice in Americas

judicial system. First I will explain the details of this injustice, secondly I

will take you through what its like to be a victim of this injustice and lastly

I will tell you how YOU can be part of the solution. So, are you REALLY as free

as you believe?? Do you REALLY have all this freedom guaranteed by the

government of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?? For most of us, yes but for a

growing number this so-called ?freedom? is becoming more and more of an

illusion everyday. I’m talking about the freedom to wed whom EVER you chose.

Right now in the US you have the right to chose when you marry, how many times

you marry, where you marry and who you are married by, but still TODAY in our

country you cannot chose the sex of your spouse. Still in the U.S. same sex

marriages are illegal and not recognized by the state. It is illegal for this

con try’s citizens to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, ethic

background or SEXUAL PREFERENCE so why is it that our government feels that THEY

hold hat right? I believe that same sex marriages should be recognized as

?holy matrimony? in all 50 states. Take Meagan Murphy and Laura Carson for

example. This young homosexual couple dated for many years and went though a lot

before they decided that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

But how were they to go about doing so? The state of Michigan sure wasn’t about

to let them, that’s for sure. In Michigan like all but 1 other state (Hawaii)

same sex marriages aren’t marriages at all! When put into a legal view gay

marriages do not get any of the rights that straight ones are granted. If 1/2 or

a gay or lesbian couple is in a hospital situation where only family members can

visit , his or her partner does not have the right to go see them, and if

brought into a court of law for some criminal act one partner can be required by

the law to testify against the other where as legal couples are not. Another

major issue is insurance benefits. If a partner in a homosexual relationship

dies the other person does not receive a penny as would the spouse in a

heterosexual marriage, even though the remaining partner in the homosexual

relationship still has to cope with the loss of 1/2 of the wages of that

household. As for Meagan and Carson they were forced to do what many gay or

lesbian couple do when the need for a finalization of the relationship arises.

They had what is called a "commitment ceremony?. Its exactly like a

traditional wedding with one minor difference, there was no priest to legalize

the ?union of these two souls?. Is this fair? Who can say that these two

people aren’t in love enough to be legally wed? How can we be granted so many

freedoms but yet be denied this one? Under the we are granted ?the freedom to

the pursuit of happiness" and according to the supreme court "The

freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights

essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men." So if we have

the "legal" right to the pursuit of happiness and if, according to the

supreme court, marriage is so vital in that pursuit how can they honestly say

that it is illegal in the eyes of the states to marry someone of the same

gender! I feel that the government need to shed their hypocritical stand on this

topic. Marriage is no new topic of discussion up on capital hill either.

Throughout the history of the United States our government hasn’t had the best

of judgment when it comes to the ?legal? sanctutity of marriage . Prior to

the civil war, Afro-Americans were not allowed to marry in 39 states, Prior to

1967 inter-racial couples were not allowed to marry in 40 states. Currently,in

49 states, homosexuals are not allowed to marry. Now that I have brought to your

understanding that this is a PROBLEM in this country I will bring to your

attention the solution. DON’T ACCEPT IT. Don’t turn and look the other way

saying "that’s terrible, its to bad that our government feels that way

about homosexual marriage?. Get up and do something about it! You can do so

many things from writing letters to your local legislature or attending rallies

and demonstrations to even just signing a petition. When the polls are open for

the presidential election of 2000 take into consideration the nominees stand on

this issue. Its said that ?marriage is the binding of two so in love they are

willing to submit their souls to one another.? Now who is anyone to stand in

the way of that?