Should Gay Marriage Be Made Illegal in the U.S - Essay Example

The dictionary meaning of ‘gay’ reads as gleeful, glad, joyous, happy, cheerful, blithe, sportive, merry etc. These synonyms have nothing in connection with the homosexuality. Therefore why homosexual persons should be called or known as ‘gay’? Times have changed and with the ever changing personality people have come to not only express their feeling for the same sex but have also openly expressed this emotion irrespective of society’s reactions. Many state that society will not accept gay marriages. Society represents a group of citizens but gay’s involves one’s freedom of personal rights. Laws of any country are made in order to define their citizens and not become an instrument of exploitation by authorities. According to religions and laws, marriage is a social union or legal contract between people and this unity creates a sense of kinship. People describe marriage as an institution in which interpersonal relationships which are normally intimate are recognized in many ways, of course depending upon the culture or religious beliefs. Therefore when two people of the same sex fall in love and wish to legalize their love forever with marriage, is this appropriate or legal? Gay couples began to demand equal civil rights, including the right to the legal protections of marriage, in the early 1970s. The first legally recognized same-sex partnership was in Denmark in 1989, but the first legal gay marriage wasnt until 2001, in the Netherlands. Since then, countries and states within countries have reacted to gay marriages conducted in other countries by passing laws that prevent foreign gay marriages from being recognized. In the US, San Francisco marriages conducted in 2004 during a brief period of rebellion against state law were later declared void by the state of California. Washington state banned gay marriage in the Defence of Marriage Act 1998, and reinforced the act in 2001. (Gurus, 2000) Till date this has been a debatable issue and has also found that the New Jersey and Massachusetts state court systems are each considering cases that could legalize same sex unions. The then President Bush, Senator Tom Daschle and other politicians have stated their opposition to legalizing gay marriages. Even the Vatican had launched a new initiative opposing gay marriages. (Time, 2003) No doubt the common belief is that children do best when they are raised by their own mother and father. Let’s analyze the most loved comedy show ‘Friends’. Ross wife Carol turns out that she had feelings for her friend Susan, but both of them raised Ben who turns out to be a normal kid. Yes many would state that it was only a show but the producers portrayed that all the characters were merely everyday citizens and individuals who were living their lives and at some point, Carol realized that her life needed Susan and not Ross. No doubt Ross was heart broken but at the end he accepted the fact of the matter and continued with his life still being a good father to Ben. This stage one can state that the right to marry or the right to choose to marry the same sex has never been connected to procreation. The opposition to gay marriage varies from county to county in each state, but repeated legal battles have shown that the strength to ban or approve gay marriage ultimately lies with each states government. (Gurus, 2000) Nineteen states - Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama - have explicitly banned the recognition of same-sex marriage, defining marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman only. In Texas, Florida, Ohio and Kansas, marriages where one partner was a post-operative transsexual have been voided by the ban on same-sex marriage. It is possible for gay marriage to be banned altogether in the US via federal law. In May 2006, Republicans put forward a Federal Marriage Amendment, an amendment that would prevent states from recognizing gay marriages. The amendment was ultimately defeated in the United States Senate, but without federal legislation supporting gay marriage, a similar law may be introduced in the future. (Gurus, 2000) For instance let us examine what Texas stated, “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman”. This state or political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage” (Garvey, 2009) On the other hand gay marriage are done in private, therefore legalizing it because of advocacy would probably affect society as a whole. The world at large has always chosen to accept all manner of things as normal and tolerable but many religions describe homosexuality as sinful. The sanctity of marriage wherein structure and safety, care for the children that are conceived in union and the crux of the matter is that children require dedicated parents. This is true marriage which consists of love between man and wife and their conception and development and training. Any other conception of marriage would only result in imitation but the end result would be failure. Legalizing gay marriages would only devastate society and culture and could even become a threat to human kind. The family unit has always been a building bricks of society for generations and now gay marriages- legalizing would only lead too many falling into this underworld. On one hand we can tolerate gays as a matter of social fairness but not to be validated by the state or their union recognized as marriage. In the words of Cline, ‘the debate over the legalization of gay marriage in America is about more than just the status of gay couples; it’s also about the future of American civil law. Either civil law is defined by the needs and rights of citizens and gay marriage will be legalized, or civil laws will be placed under the dominion of religious laws and gay marriage will remain banned.” (Cline, 1998) Cline further reiterates the fact by stating, “Marriage is not just an institution, but also a symbol representing our culture’s ideals about sex, sexuality, and human relationships. Symbols are important — they are a common cultural currency which we each use to help create our sense of self. (Cline, 1998) Thus when the traditional nature of marriage is challenged in any way, so are people’s basic identities. By asking legislatures to pass “Defense of Marriage” acts, voters are using the law to create the cultural equivalent of a copyright or trademark on the institution of marriage to prevent it from be challenged too much.” (Cline, 1998) Whether gay marriage is legalized or not the major problem that would arise with the ‘same sex’ marrying is procreation. This would lead to the imbalance of humanity. If you take a country like India where the ratio is thousand males for every eight hundred and seventy two females would definitely lead to the growth of mankind and generations to come. Many would state that woman would artificially get pregnant and thus children would continue to be born. But the question that arises is how many gay’s are willing or wanting to bring up children in the right atmosphere. Gays would be caught in their own world of togetherness and love that many would not want another or rather children to intrude into their lives or disrupt their privacy, thus leading humanity towards danger zone or mere extinction. No doubt whatever is the call; every individual’s right to existence and freedom of speech must be heard keeping in mind the voice of society and the fulfillment of humanity as we march towards the future waiting for the end of the world. Sources 1. Garvey, James. Leibniz, Texas and Gay Marriage. 24 November 2009. 2. Cline, Austin. Common Arguments Against Gay Marriage: Moral and Religious Arguments. 1998. 3. Gurus. Arguments against Gay Marriage.2000. Read More