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The best solution
is to allow homosexuals the freedom to be themselves, to live their life the way
they choose, not harming anyone in the process. Ramirez 4 On the other hand
others believe that heterosexual marriage is sacred: Same-sex marriage is a
violation of basic biblical tenets. No culture has endorsed the idea of men
marrying men or women marrying women. America’s laws were written to preserve
the Judeo-Christian tradition, which deems homosexuality aberrant. Marriage as
an institution is already threatened by divorce and by the erosion of religion
and family values. If gay couples were allowed to marry, it would set a bad
example for children, and could spell the downfall of one of the cornerstones of
our society. After all, what’s next? Legalizing polygamy?
Marriage between
brothers? (Hetter 28-31) Hetter displays one belief of a large group of
individuals who confuse what is right, and fair for society as a whole, with
what is based on her one-sided religious beliefs. It is very difficult for some
people to accept a change in things that differ from their everyday life and the
way they were brought up. If those individuals could look at same-sex marriage
open-mindedly they could see that they have been withholding, a precious right
that could socially benefit a large group of society. In the same manner,
Professor Barbara J. Cox, of California Western School of Law, reveals; When her
and her partner decided to have a commitment ceremony, they did so to express
the love and caring that they felt for one another.
To celebrate that love with
their friends and family, and to express that love openly and with pride. “It
angers me when others, who did not participate or do not know either of us,
condemn us as a part of a mindless flock accepting a dehumanizing ceremony.” she
proclaims. Professor Cox, along with many others, has made a commitment ceremony
to her partner. Sadly, this is a “counterfeit” form of marriage that she has had
to accept, without the social support of her community.
A “counterfeit marriage”
is a ceremony that will not be acknowledged by anyone. There is no marriage
license, no acceptance or acknowledgment from outside parties. Ramirez 5 A great
deal of society believes that it is offensive to even see homosexuals together.
There is no question that homosexuals have historically been the objects of
vicious and sustained hostility. There have been several cases in which people
have gone as far as “gay bashing”, or acting violently against gay couples,
because they were seen holding hands in public. Still homosexual couples have
continued with their beliefs, only to be forced to concentrate into areas such
as San Francisco, Ft. Lauderdale, and Montrose in Houston, trying to find peace
and acceptance in society.
It is evident, by the powerful and responsible
positions of many gay men and women, that their sexual orientation clearly has
no relation to a person’s ability to perform in society. The fact is that the
case against same-sex marriage is that people are simply unaccustomed to it.
Bigotry and hatred still exist in our society, and traditionally people fear
what is strange and unfamiliar to them, therefore robbing homosexuals of their
place in America of having the choice to marry their loved ones. While
homosexual couples are struggling to find acceptance in society, homosexuals
have suffered economically because they have been denied the same compensation
that people in heterosexual marriages have taken for granted. A Hawaii
commission created to examine marriage discrimination concluded that banning gay
marriage cut same-sex couples off from a host of tangible advantages, including
health and retirement benefits; life insurance; income tax, estate tax and
wrongful-death benefits, and spousal and dependent support (“Pros and Cons of
Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage).
However, one argument came about that those
financial benefits are for married couples to help raise children financially.
But, what about all of the families that do not or can not have children, these
families still receive all of those benefits. The only fair solution to that
argument is to take away those benefits to those families without children.
Ramirez 6 Likewise, one columnist from the New York Times wrote that the
importance [of same-sex marriage] for homosexual couples goes far beyond an
emotional desire to have their unions recognized. Currently couples...face
financial and legal problems if one partner becomes ill or dies, including the
inability to make medical decisions for a partner (Roane 7). These decisions can
benefit, or harm the life of the loved one, which can effect the life of their
partner financially. Likewise, Chris Ryan, president of the Utah Log Cabin Club,
a group of gay republicans, said,
“All we want are the legal rights that go
along with marriage.” He also mentioned visiting a partner in the hospital,
inheriting property, providing insurance coverage, filing a joint tax return,
and distributing assets in a divorce (Dunlap 18). Ryan wants all of the things
that should be entitled to him. It is unfair that only heterosexuals can benefit
from this economic government support. Just because the majority of society has
not felt the effects of the beneficial neglect that homosexuals have struggled
with for so long, does not justify our government in not taking action in
correcting this problem.
Marriage is much more than the fundamental institution
that completes the journey of life for many individuals. Marriage has legal and
financial benefits that one’s “significant other” should be entitled to. Some
may not be lucky enough to find someone “to have and to hold, in sickness and in
health.” Although, those few who are fortunate enough to find their “soul mate”
should not be denied their basic human right of matrimony with the one person
they love. Like abortion, same-sex marriage has emotional issues which will
probably take generations, if at all, to come to an overall agreement. But, this
is one issue that cannot be “put on the back burner” for long. There is no
logical reason that society should reject the act of same-sex marriages because
it is the right of gay and lesbian couples legally, socially, and economically.
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