Till Death Do You Part?
Jessica French “Till Death do You Part?” 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?
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