Same Sex or Same Rights
It has been a controversial subject for decades now, yet still a solution has not been achieved. Hundreds of writers have written for and against this subject and many great points have been made. There are two specific essays that appeared in Newsweek, June 3, 1996. Andrew Sullivan wrote Let Gays Marry in his hopes to persuade the audience that gay marriage is perfectly legitimate. In response to this essay, William Bennett, wrote Leave Marriage Alone, and published it in the same issue as Sullivan. Both of these authors produce effective arguments; which makes this controversy that much more interesting. These two essays are similar in many ways although their differences are just as significant. Let Gays Marry was written on gay marriages. Sullivan touches on many points including human rights, love, separation of church and state, and hypocrisy. Sullivan describes the Supreme Court ruling (1996) by quoting their decision. "A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws."(p. 25) Thus he believes that all humans have the same rights and should be given the same opportunities to marry. Sullivan goes on to say that marriage is a bond symbolizing a loving relationship between two people. He argues that
The two of these essays by Sullivan and Bennett have certain themes to them. For example, Sullivan's theme in Let Gays Marry is civil rights. On the other hand Bennett's theme in Leave Marriages Alone is religion and tradition. Sullivan sees our society as a culture full of different beliefs. One belief that is universal here in the U.S. is equal rights. Sullivan expresses that this should be taken into consideration when issuing marriage licenses. Bennett's theme is that marriage was created in the church and should remain in the church. He feels that since marriage has a 4,000 year history it is quite important that it stays intact. Bennett argues that if the rules of marriage are changed then it will only allow for more unholy changes. Both of these themes create valid arguments and depending on the audience both can be accepted. Andrew Sullivan and William Bennett both argue their beliefs quite well. Not only do they state their own ideas but they also commented on each others ideas. This made an excellent display that the controversy of same-sex marriage will go on forever. Everyone will always have their own ideas on the subject. Both of these writers used different themes in their writing which displays perfectly that neither of these arguments is better than the other; it completely depends on who the audience is biased towards. there is no reason to try to prevent two people from expressing their love since love is exactly what marriage is based on. One major point that Sullivan made is that he is not requesting that religion change its beliefs. He continues to believe that church and state should be separate. Sullivan (1996) only argues that when the "government gives out civil marriage licenses,
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Approximate Word count = 1173
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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