Gay Marriages

Gay Marriage

Gay marriage is one of the most controversial issues facing this country. Many argue that it violates religious principles and morals; however, this should not be the justification for prohibiting same sex marriage. From a legal standpoint there is no justification in the Constitution for a law that would prohibit all unions except between a man and a woman. However, there is a federal law, the DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. There are financial, economic and other special rights granted to married couples, however these rights are denied to gay marriages.

Marriage is the highest expression of love between two people, how can we allow the government to decide whom we can and cannot love? If we were to ban same sex marriage we would be taking a huge step backward in civil rights. Not allowing two men or two women to marry is one step above not allowing interracial marriage.

Marriage Day

A symbolic marriage cake in favor of allowing gay ...

A symbolic marriage cake in favor of allowing gay ...

In the early 20th century a black man marrying a white woman was unnatural and serious crime. In the early 21st century a man marrying another man is still a crime in most places and is considered to be an immoral and unnatural act. Hartinger in his essay A Case For Gay Marriage asserts that, "The question is whether, in the absence of a compelling state interest, the state should be allowed to supercede the individual's choice" (Hartinger 527). And over time it became accepted for different races to marry and the idea that "he [God] separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix" passed out of acceptance (Hartinger 527). History tells us that society evolves and to try and stop its evolution is more of a crime than...