Equal Marriage or Constitutional Rights?

According to our bill of rights we all have the right to due process, which says that we won't be arrested for ridiculous reasons and we won't be imprisoned for unreasonable amounts of time. This, however, was not the case for Kim Davis who refused to give a gay couple a marriage license. She was arrested and thrown in jail for a weekend. Was that really necessary? She was just trying to follow her religious beliefs and she was persecuted for it. Charges were thankfully not pressed, but the weekend in jail must not have been pleasant. I believe that putting her in jail was overkill for following her beliefs. We do have freedom of religion in this nation, so she shouldn't have been punished that severely. I would understand if she was reprimanded by her boss, or given a letter in her file, but jail? Is that what we have become? Do we persecute those who follow their religion for others. Does the first amendment not mean anything? I understand that she legally had to issue them a marriage license, but wouldn't it have just been easier to go to a different county clerk? So, think for yourself, was her punishment just? And what is more important, the Constitution or Equal marriage?

What is Marriage?

As defined by Webster marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. As you can plainly see a man and a woman, not a man and a man or a woman and a woman. Marriage has been around for about as long as humans have been. There was never the idea of same-sex marriage until recently. The very idea of same sex marriage goes against the whole idea of marriage. A huge argument for same-sex marriage is that marriage is a civil right, but it's not a civil right. Marriage is a privilege, not a right that anyone can have. Freedom of speech is a right, the right to petition the government is a right, and the right to bear arms is a right. Last time I checked I didn't see the right to marry whoever you want in The Constitution or in the Bill of Rights. Just because you want something doesn't mean that it is a right, so please check your facts before you embarrass yourself.

Children with Same-Sex Parents

People for years have been going on about how children raised by same-sex parents aren't as well of as those raised in a traditional household setting. People like to use the argument that father knows best, but is that true? There are studies, Michael Lamb has performed hundreds pf these studies, that prove that children raised by homosexual parents are just as healthy as those raised by heterosexual parents. The Australian Study of Child Health in Same-Sex Familiar performed an experiment which proved that children raised by same-sex parents are generally more willing to communicate any issues that they are having in school like bullying. This promotes the development of openness and means that children tend to be more resilient. So, does father really know best or is that one more thing that has to adapt with the changing times? 

1.     Jackson, Nicholas. "Children in Same-Sex Households Are Healthier than Their Peers." Same-Sex Marriage. Ed. Tamara Thompson. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015.

2.     Current Controversies. Rpt. from "Once and for All: Gay Marriage Is Not Bad for Kids." Pacific Standard (26 June 2013). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

Does Equal Marriage Impact Religious Freedom?

Some people that oppose equal marriage say that it goes against their religion, but is that really a valid excuse? These people say that equal marriage goes against their belief that homosexuality is a sin, but also that the passage of same sex marriage causes and will cause religious figures to be incarcerated for refusing to perform same sex marriages. This, however, is not the case. There have been no arrests on any pastor who has refused to perform a same sex marriage. Ted Cruz, who opposes equal marriage, has used the case where a pastor in Sweden has compared homosexuality to cancer was arrested. However, this man was not arrested for anything to do with same sex marriage. He was arrested for hate crimes under Sweden's hate crime statutes because they do no have the freedom of speech that us Americans are lucky to have. In conclusion those who oppose equal marriage due to religious reasons do not have a leg to stand on. I mean, America isn't a theocracy, now is it?

 

Lampo, David. "Same-Sex Marriage Does Not Impact Religious Freedom." Same-Sex Marriage. Ed. Tamara Thompson. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "The Right's Bait and Switch on Same-Sex Marriage." The Blaze (2 Aug. 2013). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

Why All The Fuss?

This is an issue that divides the nation. Family and friends cannot help but to argue over this. But is equal marriage really that appalling that people can't just leave those who choose to partake in this rite alone? First, for those who don't know, equal marriage, or same sex marriage, is the union of two people of the same sex in the rite of marriage. There are a lot of opponents of equal marriage, both religious and not. Their arguments vary, but still the one thing that doesn't make sense is why can't they just leave same sex couples alone. A same sex couple getting married isn't going to negatively, or otherwise, impact you unless you make it. If you choose to be bothered and personally offended by this act of love that is your problem, not the problem of those who don't even know you.

"Same-Sex Marriage." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.