Legality of Same-Sex Marriages
When I set out to write this paper, I asked myself if legalizing same-sex marriages right. Same-sex marriage is not a matter of right or wrong, it is a question of fairness. Many people say same-sex marriages are wrong because the Bible says it is wrong. When interpreting the Bible, the words are much like statistics, the passages can be interperated to mean whatever point of view you want it to mean. After seperating church and state, legalizing same-sex marriages is a civil right that all citizens should be granted. Gay and lesbian couples should be treated in the same way and with the same social, legal, financial and ultimately, emotional benefits that result from marriage among opposite-sex couples. Recognizing same-sex marriages will make that possible. Marriage is a symbol of being an adult. It is the principal sign of social maturity. When the basic civil right of marriage is denied same-sex couples, the historic quote "No taxation without representation!" comes to mind. If same-sex couples are denied the benefits of marriage, then why are they forced to pay the taxes that pay for these benefits? As far-fetched as this idea sounds, it is that same premise that makes legalizing same-sex marriages f
Some of the arguments most often heard against legal marriage of same-sex couples are easy refuted with logical common sense. Those who say same-sex couples must not be allowed legal marriage can not have it both ways - they seem to want them to pay taxes, without being eligible for any of the privileges and benefits that these taxes finance. Legal marriage triggers more than 1,040 benefits in the Federal system, plus 150-350 state-defined benefits as well (Bedrick, 1997). This lack of equal access is not the American way. If same-sex couples do not deserve equal footing in this democracy, then those who do not want legal marriage for same-sex couples should launch a campaign to also prevent same-sex families from paying taxes that support these benefits. When two people are in love, they should not be denied their basic rights as human beings. A man should not be forced to be in the hallway of a hospital, as his partner dies alone on the other side of the door because he was just a friend (Miller, 1986). Legal marriage is designed to protect intimacy in the relationship. It does this through the rights of visitation, medical decision-making, survivorship, child custody, redress for wrongful death, and many other rights. Colorado passed a law called Amendment 2, which has since been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court (Supreme Court of the United States, 1996). Before it was invalidated, this law forbade any other laws that addressed discrimination against lesbians and gay men. It also had forbidden any political redress for lesbians and gay men. When that law was devised, the State of Colorado should have insisted that its lesbian and gay population stop paying taxes because the government had stopped representing its lesbian and gay citizens.
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Approximate Word count = 1610
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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