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Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Persuasive speech Essay
`Americans should be considered equal and allowed the opportunity to marry a person of the same sex if they desire`.               For years, marriage has been defined as the union of a man and woman. In fact, in the United States, the Defense of Marriage Act has been passed by the Congress. This has prohibited and denied same-sex marriages. According to democracynow.org, this issue on same-sex marriages has continued to bring out divided and different opinions from people, though some states have stepped towards allowing legal rights to gay marriages. According to law.richmond.edu, same sex marriage has become a major constitutional issue.               In all these debates, my stand is that we should allow this kind of marriage. I believe that every person, whatever his or her gender is, should be treated with equality.               Mary Bonauto, the Civil Rights Project Director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said that civil rights movements make an effort â€Å"to create a world without privileged places from which individuals or groups of people are excluded solely because of personal characteristics.†They have struggled for women, African Americans and now lesbians and gays in America. Are we to overlook and disregard those struggles? If they have fought for equality for women and for African Americans and we have learned to accept it, why can we not give way to equality in terms of marriage? Gays and lesbian couples want to get married simply because they love each other deeply. Bonauto said that these people view marriage as the ultimate means of expressing their love for each other, just like other people do. Many of these couples would want to marry if only they were allowed to do so, according to bc.edu.               According to law-library.rutgers.edu, Mary Becker, Professor of Law at DePaul University College of Law found the real good in marriage, it being â€Å"an intimate human connection that transcends gender and procreation†. Professor Becker suggests that the government should support a model that advances â€Å"human happiness and well-being†in its regulation of marriage.               There had been a lot of arguments on this, though. I quote from a press release from white house.gov, â€Å"America is a free society, which limits the role of government in the lives of our citizens. This commitment of freedom, however, does not require the redefinition of one of our most basic social institutions. Our government should respect every person, and protect the institution of marriage. There is no contradiction between these responsibilities. We should also conduct this difficult debate in a manner worthy of our country, without bitterness or anger.†              Also, the site cwfa.org cites things that gay marriages can result to, such as weakening of the family and the encouragement of people to remain homosexual.               Well, what I have to say is I think that every person has a choice to become what he wants to be. He can choose what to make of that right. What steps can we do to solve this issue? For starters, if we are to respect every person in the real sense, we are not to let discrimination hurt anyone. And I know that each of us can handle this debate without bitterness. I hope we could all open our eyes and see beyond ourselves, to see where other people come from and what they believe in and to respect what they uphold. If we say that we are a free society then let’s show it. Let us give gay couples the freedom to marry if they want to.               At some point in our lives, we may have experienced discrimination in various ways. And we know that doesn’t feel good. You see, we all have rights. And we need to treat all people, including gays and lesbians equally and with respect, just like how we want to be treated. Same-sex marriage is not a bad thing. Gay marriages just prove that marriage, love and commitment pass beyond gender. Think of this. What if you were in their shoes, not having the chance to marry the person you love because of gender biases? How would you feel? Live and let live. Sources: Becker, M., â€Å"Family Law in the Secular State and Restrictions on Same-Sex Marriage: Two Are Better Than One,†University of Illinois Law Review, 2001:1-56, Retrieved November 21, 2006 from http://law-library.rutgers.edu/SSM.html#pro Bonauto, M. L., â€Å"Civil Marriage as a Locus of Civil Rights Struggles,†Human Rights, 30(3):3-7 ( 2003) (American Bar Association, Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities) Retrieved November 21, 2006, from http://www.abanet.org/ Henkle,G. (2004). Same Sex Marriage In The News. Retrieved November 21,2006, from http://law.richmond.edu/ Knight, R. (2003). ‘Gay Marriage’ Is Not Only Wrong; It’s Socially Destructive. Retrieved November 21, 2006, from http://www.cwfa.org/ Wriggins,J. MARRIAGE LAW AND FAMILY LAW: AUTONOMY, INTERDEPENDENCE, AND COUPLES OF THE SAME GENDER, Retrieved November 21, 2006, from http://www.bc.edu/ Gay Marriage in Native America (2005). Retrieved November 21,2006, from http://www.democracynow.org/ President Calls for Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage (2004). Retrieved November 21, 2006, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/
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