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Marriage Equality!
Should or Shouldnt There be? By: Bertrand Briere Composition Professor: Linda Record

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There appears to be a huge debate today in marriage equality. The question in the forefront of this debate is whether or not to allow same sex marriages. To me the answer is simple yes, however this decision is made because I myself am gay and I am engaged to be married. In September of 1996, then President Bill Clinton, signed in law the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This law stated the no state needs to treat the relationship of same sex couples as a marriage even if the marriage was performed in a state that recognized them, further more the Federal Government recognizes marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Alliance Defense Fund). This in effect makes any same sex marriage performed by a state that allows such unions to be disfranchised by the U.S. Government. While the current White House administration feels that this law is discriminatory, the Department of Justice is obligated to uphold current laws (Eleveld, 2009). As of January 1, 2010 there will be five states in the United States that will allow and recognize same sex marriage as a legal form of union (NCSL). This will afford same sex couples the right to make medical decisions, hospital visitation rights, and rights to state tax credits. These are all government run benefits that the church has no control over. The reason that the church is brought up is because of the common knowledge that most Christian churches are the main opponents of any same sex marriage bill set before the federal and state governments. Most churches funnel millions of dollars in to campaigns to stop states from allowing same sex marriages. A comment I once over heard was that it wasnt a traditional marriage. Marriages that consist of man and one woman are considered to be traditional by the church. This is most evident by the Catholic Bishops push for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in the United States (Catholic News Services). My personal belief on a real constitutional amendment is, we will never see that. In order for the constitution of the United States to be amended the amendment must be accepted by two thirds of congress. Upon approval of two thirds, as little as thirteen states can object the amendment. If this were to happen the amendment would be killed and not become law (U.S. Archives). As late as 1967 fifteen states still did not recognize interracial marriages, the purity of the race was under attack (Yes on Gay Marriage). As it is well known throughout American history the Civil Rights Movement peaked in 1955 bringing in the Civil Rights act of 1964 and the Voting Rights of 1965. As we are and were taught in grade school our country was founded on slavery and the oppression of people. The Civil Rights act of 1964 helped break away any organizational discrimination in the United States. When the Supreme Courts ruling in 1967 that called upon the states to uphold interracial marriages, this caused a rift in the white America. It appears that people on both sides of the argument had compelling reasons why

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blacks and whites shouldnt marry. One of the most common that is noted is that it is against God. It seems some people take the translation of the Bible a little too literate. Exodus 34:10-16: "And He said: "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth . . . Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. "But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods." (Exodus 34:10-16, NKJV) The above passage, taken straight from the bible, explains that people shouldnt marry from other nationalities as well as other religions. This passage could have been one of the main arguments as to why interracial marriages are against God. Then there are those who feel that children of mixed race would be confused. Just recently a Justice of the Peace in Louisiana was forced to resign because he refused to marry an interracial couple. While this justice of the peace claims to deny interracial marriages because he worries about the well being of mixed race children, I have not been able to find any evidence by any of the psychological community to support this theory. The tradition that marriage is a sacred religious institution that should only be entered by a man and woman is true for many religions; there are several Christian religions as well as, Jewish, Buddhist and Universalists that see a marriage as a union between two people who love each other (Yes on Gay Marriage). As the United States Constitution has set up guidelines within the first amendment to keep church and state separate, there is argument that the religions should have no say in the issue. In the five states that have approved laws regarding same sex marriage, the First Amendment has been fully protects. I have found that these laws provide language that will allow a religious facility or its affiliate to deny use of its facility to the same sex couple for their wedding. In keeping with the Constitution of the United States, this language allows for the civil liberties to be upheld without infringement on the religious liberties of the church.

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In closing I personally feel that all men and women are created equal, under the Constitution of the United States we are all protected as citizens of this country. I dont see any reason to discriminate against one group of people who follow the laws and live their life as a happy couple. I have been with my partner for two years and we are very happy together. I dont understand what the harm is in us sharing our lives together, as legally married. I only hope that one day DOMA is repealed and people will see that our marriage in no way ever affects the straight communities.

References:
Alliance Defense Fund. (n.d.). DOMA WATCH. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Defense of Marriage Act Information: http://www.domawatch.org/index.php Catholic News Services. (n.d.). Bishop Uges Constitutional Amendment Banning Same Sex Marriage. Retrieved 12 10, 2009, from American Catholic: http://www.americancatholic.org/News/Homosexuality/default.asp Eleveld, K. (2009, September 18). DOJ Defends DOMA Again. Retrieved November 26, 2009, from Advocate.com: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/09/DOJ_Defends_DOMA_Again/ NCSL. (n.d.). Same Sex Marriage. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from National Conference of State Legislatures: http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/HumanServices/SameSexMarriage/tabid/16430/Default.aspx U.S. Archives. (n.d.). The Constitutional Admendment Process. Retrieved 12 10, 2009, from The Federal Register: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution/ Yes on Gay Marriage. (n.d.). Why Yes. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from Myths and Facts of Gay Marriage: http://yesongaymarriage.com/why_yes/myths/