Socio-Political Campaign - Essay Example

Socio-political campaign Name: Professor: Institution: Course: Date: Table of content: 1.1 Introduction: 1.2 Background information: 1.3 The importance of the campaigns on same-sex marriage: 1.4 Research on campaigns on same-sex marriage: 1.5 Key messages of the socio political campaign on same sex marriage: 1.6 Analysis of the challenges faced in campaigns on same-sex marriage: 1.7 Problems associated with same-sex marriage campaigns: 1.8 The audience targeted by the same-sex marriage campaigns: 1.9 Recommendations: 1.10 Conclusion: (i) Introduction: A socio-political campaign is an active and well organized act by people in a group aiming at gaining justice and fairness in on a particular goal in life. Socio-political campaigns on same-sex marriage have been a common act in different states of different continents allover the world. This campaign has been aiming at providing equality in terms of marriage mostly pertaining to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This has seen to make the court of law to treat these types of marriage equally and as a result legalize the LGBT allover the world. Socio-political campaigns are being carried out in different ways and for different but more less the same reason of ensuring that Human Rights are highly taken into consideration when it comes to international matter (http://www.keennewsservice.com/2011/12/06/obama-steps-up-global-push-on-lgbt-rights). This paper would majorly dwell on the socio-political campaigns on same-sex marriage. The paper would attain its aim through looking at; the background information on the same-sex marriage and the campaign to support it (Kats & Lazarsfeld, 1955). Secondly, it would give a full description of the importance of carrying out campaigns on same-sex marriage. This section of the paper would discuss the importance of the socio-political campaign on same-sex marriage on both the member or participants and the states in general. Thirdly, the essay would give a clear discussion of the information on same-sex marriage socio-political campaigns and its achievement. Fourthly, the essay would discuss the problems that people who engage in same-sex marriage socio-political campaigns face during their campaigns. The problems would be those experienced from both the court of law and the general public that does not support same-sex marriage. The fifth section of the essay would provide an analysis of the audience that the same-sex marriage campaign target during its campaign. The paper would then give a detailed summary of important points in the essay as a conclusion. Lastly, the paper would give a recommendation which would be an advice to the campaigners and the public in general pertaining to the same-sex marriage and its campaigns. (ii) Background information: Same-sex relationships have existed for a long time in different parts of the world. This is a comprisal of relationship between a man and another man which is referred to as gay relationship, and the sexual relationship between a woman and another woman which is referred to as lesbian (http://www.hrc.org/the-hrc-story/about-us). In the progress of time, there came two more different sexual relationships which are bisexual relationship and transgender relationship. This in total makes same-sex relationships four. These same-sex relationships have been illegal and thus were being done in private and not in public. The whole matter gained supporters and member with time until the year 1972 when the first same-sex marriage case was presented to the Supreme Court of Law. This case was presented to the Supreme Court by two men who were, Richard Baker and James McConnell with the issue at hand being that they had been denied a marriage license in Minnesota because they were of the same-sex (Kats & Lazarsfeld, 1955). This case gave room for other people who were practicing same-sex relationships to gain strength to present their argument claiming for their rights. This argument seemed not to bear fruits and, therefore, the members of participating relationships decided to use peaceful campaigns. These campaigns were done using social media and public rallies. In the year 1980, the Human Right Campaign Fund was established by Steve Endean which aimed at raising funds for supporting the gay congressional candidates and to support the campaigns on gay-marriage. These campaigns have put pressure on the governments of different states and as a result, some states have legalized same-sex marriage. This has not just been due to the pressure placed on the Supreme Court but also the realization by the states that marriage is a choice in life and human being have a right to make a choice on which type of marriage they are to engage in and be comfortable. Analysis: (iii) Campaigns on same-sex marriage: Research on same-sex marriage has revealed that the first campaigns aiming at supporting same-sex marriage were started in year 1980s. The first Human Rights Campaign Fund was established by Steve Endean and targeted at raising money to support the gay congressional candidates. This campaign also aimed at putting to public the fact that same-sex marriage exist and it has quite a number of supporter. This was too used as a message to the Supreme Court that the same-sex marriage was a matter of choice on who to marry and a right to make a choice is a human right and should be respected despite the similarity in gender. It came a time in the year 2000 to 2004 when the supporters of the same-sex marriage increased in population drastically and claimed for equality. This equality was aim terms of treatment and allowing of people to make their own choice when it came to marriage. This could only be done in one way, and that was through legalization of same-sex marriage. This matter was an important matter that needed more consideration than ever before. For this reason, the campaign on legalization of the same-sex marriage found its way into the media and this had a great influence on the economy of different states in USA, in Europe, Asia and in Southern Africa (http://www.kansan.com/news/2011/dec/08/legalizing-love). These campaigns made some states to legalize same-sex marriage. An increase in the number of the same-sex marriage supporters, and the weight that this matter has placed to the world’s economy and the whole society at large, it has made it clear that action has to be taken. For this reason, the Human Rights Campaign that was founded in the year 1980 is striving to attain equality in marriage (Cahn, & Carbone 2010). This is a case where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual relationships are respected by the public and legalized by the Supreme Court. In order to support the campaigns on same-sex marriage, the US President Mr. Barrack Obama and US Secretary General Mrs. Hilary have decided to support same-sex marriage. To justify this, president Obama’s administration announced that it was going to drop its defense that was discriminatory, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). (iv) Key messages of the socio political campaign on same sex marriage: The messages of the socio-political campaigns are not aimed at convincing the Supreme Court to legalize the same-sex marriage but to perform other purpose. The messages put across to public by the campaigns are different types and different aims. The first message is to educate people on the importance of respecting other people’s choice. This is because marriage is by choice and people get married with an intention of providing them with families that are of true equality and makes the feel free and comfortable. The second message that the socio-political campaigns on same-sex marriage aim at is to deliver the word to the legal bodies that are responsible in decision making to grand them freedom and their right of choice. (v) Analysis of the challenges faced in campaigns on same sex marriage The challenges that same sex marriage campaigns face are associated with the issue of the couples not being offered the opportunity of participating in the activities of religious institutions. This has been a crucial problem that has been discouraging the campaigns with the thought that the Bible does not recognize their marriage in the society. Moreover, it is seen that if someone is hired from this couples, then this could make them to be filed for a lawsuit which could lead to the embarrassment of the couple. There is the issue that has been criticized about the issue of the same sex marriage whereby it is termed as being illegal since marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman (http://www.keennewsservice.com/2011/12/06/obama-steps-up-global-push-on-lgbt-rights/). This is expressed by the public as a means of contradicting against the terms of the nation and the constitution. The public criticizes the campaign that marriage is supposed to be done with the intention of procreating children and not just to stay together as a married couple. In addition, campaigns are faced with the challenges that they are not in the position of offering a conducive environment that is fit to raise children. This is so since the child would start asking who their father or mother and this would lead to confusion among the couple. Furthermore, the campaigns lack enough funds that could be used to support their rights. This is seen whereby the campaigns are not supported by both the public and the government. Due to lack of enough funds that could help the campaigns succeed, this has actually been a vital disadvantage to the same-sex marriage individuals’ battle (Cahn, & Carbone 2010). The government has not supported the campaigns with the challenge that the constitution does not support their desire. In the event of this vindication, the campaigns have not been able to achieve their goal of gaining their rights in the society. (vi) Problems associated with same-sex marriage campaigns The same-sex campaign has significant problems that have disadvantaged them from meeting their achievements in the society. The issue of participating in the campaigns has brought about loss of property through smuggling and selling in order to have enough money that sustains the campaigns. Moreover, participation in the campaigns has generated to social conflicts among the individuals. This has been witnessed whereby families have broken up and different communities have rejected others due to being involved in the same-sex marriage (http://www.kansan.com/news/2011/dec/08/legalizing-love/). Moreover, same-sex alliance campaigns have interfered with economic development. This has been observed whereby the participants from the campaigns are not fully committed in achieving their goals in developing the economy but instead choose to secure their rights as individuals. The economy has decreased due to the issue of institutes not offering persons of the same-sex marriage to do their work just like the other workers hence decreasing the growth of the economy. The people who participate in the campaigns end up being sick, and when taken to the hospital, they are not given their rights as individuals who are married and thus depressing their spouse. Some of the campaigns are termed as being illegal by the government since they are not usually given the approval of campaigning like other organizations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Campaign). Thus, these problems have degraded the achievements that are being sensitized by the campaigns made by the same-sex marriages. (vii) The audience targeted by the same sex-marriage campaigns The campaigns that are done by the same-sex marriage aim to inform the religion of their rights in the society in a way that could make them be welcomed for what they are in the society. This is done by showing them that they do not have any bad interests but to have a relationship with a partner of their choice. It tries to elaborate to the church on their rights so that they can be given the same right as the other sex have while going to the religion of their choice. Moreover, the campaigns aim to inform the government that they also deserve same rights as the other marriages in the community. This is perceived whereby they emphasize that the Bible does not own the government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Campaign). Thus, they insinuate that the government has the power of including their right of same-sex marriage in the constitution and granting them the freedom of marriage that they seek to be given. The campaigns that are done by same-sex marriages aim to elaborate in detail to families of their importance to the society. They intend to make their families take them the way they are since they perceive that being married to the same sex does not make them inhuman. These campaigns also aim to make other people of the same-sex that are shy to be in the position of supporting their rights in the society (Wolfson, 2004). These campaigns try to inspire and make the other individuals to come out in public since they have their rights as individuals in the community as they are just as other marriages. (viii) Conclusion: Socio-political campaigns have been playing important role in ensuring that different matters in the society are taken in account. This is a similar case with the campaigns on same-sex marriage. Socio-political campaigns on same sex marriage is playing an important role in ensuring that same-sex relationships are respected in public and more so, the same-sex marriage is legalized. The socio-political campaigns have been in action since the year 1980 when the Human Right Campaigns were formed. It aimed at fighting for the rights of human beings mostly pertaining to marriage. According to the stipulation tabled by the Human Rights Campaign is that human beings should be given freedom and be granted to a right of choosing who to marry. The association define marriage as any means by which people are brought together to form a family with equalities. In order to support same-sex marriage, the Human Rights Campaign was founded in 1980 and strived to attain equality in marriage. According to Obama and Hillary, this would be a case where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual relationships are respected by the public and legalized by the Supreme Court. In order to support the campaigns on same-sex marriage, the US President Mr. Barrack Obama and US Secretary General Mrs. Hilary have decided to support same-sex marriage. To justify this, president Obama’s administration announced that it was going to drop its defense that was discriminatory, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). (ix) Recommendations: A recommendation drawn from the above conclusion is that all government/states leaders should copy examples of US president Obama and US Secretary General Mrs. Hillary. They can do this by ensuring that the rights of their citizens are guaranteed mostly when it comes to matters pertaining life and families. In addition to that, people carrying out socio-political campaigns should be given a change to say what they have and be listened to for an appropriate decision to be made. This is because this enhances peace, love and harmony in citizen of any state (Wolfson, 2004). (x) References: Kats & Lazarsfeld (1955), Personal Influence, New York: Free Press http://www.kansan.com/news/2011/dec/08/legalizing-love. Cahn, N, R & Carbone (2010) Red families v. blue families: legal polarization and the creation of culture, New York, Oxford University Press, 2010 http://www.keennewsservice.com/2011/12/06/obama-steps-up-global-push-on-lgbt-rights. Wolfson, E (2004) why marriage matters: America, equality, and gay people's right to marry, New York, Simon and Schuster, 2004 http://www.hrc.org/the-hrc-story/about-us http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Campaign Read More