In modern society, homosexuality is a big issue. People have their right to fall in love in another person no matter which sex he/she is. Traditionally, marriage as we can see is a commitment of spending the rest of our life with someone, and marriage is one of the most important things in relationship. Marriage has a great influence on people's daily life. However, along with the development of homosexuality, the traditional view of marriage will be challenged by gay marriage. More and more people have some discrimination against those gays/lesbians because they think the existing of homosexuality is bad in the world. However, the United States is a free country, so the more important thing is that those people also have their right to pursue their happiness. Therefore, allowing gay marriage or not becomes a big international issue.
In most of people's eyes, there are stereotypical thoughts about gay marriage, so it cause the majorities refuse to accept gay marriage. The world is built on the foundation of morality and nature. Thus, gay marriage is unnatural, immoral, and it is sin because gay couples cannot procreate. No matter the greatest constitution of the United States or even an individual's behavior, they should all follow the fundamental concepts of nature. Violating the nature is the same as destroy the world, so gay marriage is destroy all human being. Also, The major reason for banning gay marriage in our society is that most of our “major religions consider gay marriage is a sin” (Same-Sex Marriage: Pros or Cons). It slowly turns the idea out to a general assumption in our society. Most all of people who have specific religion background, think gay marriage is the behavior of evil. Therefore, human being can not live in the social norm with gay marriage.
Another important reason why people opposing gay marriage is that same-sex couple can not provide an optimum environment in which to raise children. They believe, if children who were raised in a gay family, they will easily be confuse who is the mother or father in the family by comparing others. In fact, there are about three of ten of children become gay or lesbian, who are raised in gay family. According to William Bennett, “Former Harvard professor E. L. Pauttulo has written that ‘a very substantial number of people are born with the potential to live either straight or gay lives.'” Societal indifference about heterosexuality and homosexuality would cause a lot of confusion. In addition, there is scientific evidence that show the existence of homosexuality is bad in the world. Homosexual people remain fourteen times more to attempt suicide than heterosexuals and three times more likely to commit suicide successfully. Thirty years ago, this propensity toward suicide was attributed to their mental confusion and social rejection. The study shows that homosexual males and females have much higher rates of interpersonal maladjustment, depression, conduct, disorder, childhood abuse, domestic violence, alcohol or drug abuse, anxiety, and dependency on psychiatric care than heterosexuals. There is a statistic that proves the average life expectancy of homosexual men was merely forty-eight years old in 1973, and it is now down to thirty-eight. There are only 2 percent of homosexual men live past age sixty-five. Therefore, gay marriage will not only insignificantly ruin children's thinking, and so, it destroys our social structure.
The United States government make a clear definition about “marriage,” and gives those anti-gay marriage group a strong support for banning against gay marriage. In the article,” Proposed Amendment to Ban Gay Marriages,” Kathy Belge says “President Bush has come out in favor of amending the United States Constitution to make marriage legally defined as only between one man and one woman.” The proposed amendment supports for most people's ideas. The legal marriage should be a union of a man and one woman. This idea confirms the traditional view of marriage, so the U.S government follows the concept of the majorities.
During the presidential election of 2008, proposition No.8 bring this gay marriage issue up to the desk to do some further discuss. The U.S. government tries to legalize gay marriage in order to let everybody have his/her right to marry. During the 2008 presidential election, California proposition No.8, eliminates right of same-sex couples to marry, was one of the most important debates in the United States. There were only about 47.8% of voters agree with that gay marriage should be legal. As the results of voting, most of American ban against gay marriage. According to Tamara Audi, Justin Scheck and Christopher Lawton,
“The proposition seeks to reverse a ruling from the California Supreme Court, which earlier this year declared that banning same-sex marriage was discriminatory. The proposition would change the state constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.”
The decision of proposition No.8 overturning a ban on gay marriage. In the traditional view of marriage, it is a bond between two people with the opposite sex, not the same-sex. Majority refuses to accept gay marriage. The decision of proposition No.8 indicates most of people's thought , and government give an answer about gay marriage issue ----gay marriage is illegal in the U.S right now.
Although, most of people think the U.S government should have a ban against gay marriage, but gay advocacy groups believe that eliminating gay marriage is a violation of civil freedom. The United States was built and has always been based on the fundamental principle of freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and through our Constitution. They think that it is wrong that the U.S. government takes away gay people's right to marry. In the article “Pros and Cons of Same-Sex Marriage: Is It for You?,” the author says that same-sex marriage affects many things in society such as tax filing status, joint ownership of property, insurance benefits, and critical medical decision. It shows that, the proposition No.8 establish will not only take away gay people's right, but also it will also bring them a lot of inconveniences because marriage is more than a legal status. Therefore, gay advocacy groups believe that it is completely unfair to take away gay people's rights because their relationship doesn't fit the definition of marriage in the United States. Eliminating gay marriage shows that the liberty of the United States has vanished. Moreover, with the fundamental concept of the United States, the country becomes civilized. America was founded on the concept that the majority should be ruled, the rights of minorities should be protected as well. Therefore, banning gay marriages is a form of minority discrimination.
Moreover, Gay marriage has a great impact on economy of the United States. Especially in California, gay marriages will impulse the financial progress. So it is reasonable for us to understand that the main reason why California government tries to pass Proposition No.8 is because of the financial issues. According to the University of California, Los Angeles statistic, same-sex unions could provide about 370-million dollars to the state economy over the next three years for establishing gay marriage. Most of the money is from their wedding plans. The worst financial crisis in century has landed in the United States since the middle of 2008. However, gay marriage is our medicine that can heal the United States economic illness to become better.
Along with the development of the society, more and more people argue with the issue about if the government should ban the same-sex marriage or not. There is a conflict with the freedom and the traditional view of marriage. The U.S. government tries to make laws to protect those majority people, but gay advocacy group are fight against the U.S government to get their deserved right because they believe that everybody has right to marry and legalizing gay marriage is the right choice for the United States.
Work Cites:
Audi, Tamra. Scheck, Justin and Lawton, Christopher. “California Votes for Prop 8.” The Wall Street Journal. 5 Nov,2008. Web. 09 Dec, 2009.
Belge, Kathy. “Proposed Amendment to Ban Gay Marriages” About.com Guide. n.d. Web. 09 Dec, 2009.
Bennett, William. “Gay Marriage: Not a Very Good Idea.” Catholic Education Resource. n.d. Web. 30 Nov, 2009.
Bidstrup, Scott. “Gay Marriage: The Arguments and Motives.” n.d. Web. 30 Nov, 2009.
“Gay Marriage: Pros and Cons.” Articales base. n.d. Web. 30 Nov, 2009.
“Gay Marriage.” Catholic Answers. n.d. Web. 30 Nov,2009.
“Gay Marriage Debate.” Love And Pride. n.d. Web. 20 Nov,2009.
“Pros and Cons of Same-Sex Marriage: Is It for You?” Find Law. n.d. Web 30 Nov, 2009.
“Same-Sex Marriage: Pros or Cons?” Progressive U. 22 Feb, 2006. Web. 30 Nov,2009.
