ENG 218 Final Research Paper

Same sex marriage should be allowed because denying same-sex marriage is a violation of freedom; it contributes to strong family values, and today homosexuality is more acceptable.

I. Denying same-sex marriage is a violation of freedom.

A. All major religions consider homosexuality a sin.

B. First Amendment of the Constitution clearly states that a person’s views or lack thereof must be protected.

II. Marriage encourages people to have strong family values and constitute a good based family.

A. Gay households can be just as loving and supportive an environment for raising children as the straight kind.

B. Human sexual choice is both unchangeable and cannot be chosen, and sexual orientation does not respond to social influences designed to lead it in a different direction.

III. Today homosexuality is an accepted lifestyle.

A. An overwhelming amount of research has been done showing that homosexuality is a political and cultural controversy, not just a legal one.

B. The balance between religious freedom and antidiscrimination laws are in conflict.

Conclusion

Should Same-Sex Marriages Be Legalized?

People in general believe that they deserve the rights they are granted by the government. An upstanding citizen who pays taxes and who serves his or her community and abides by the laws of the community should be afforded the rights of an American. However, not all citizens are afforded equal rights. Gay and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are upstanding citizens. They are held at a disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. Same-sex marriage should be allowed because women and men all have the same right in society; denying same-sex marriage is a violation of freedom; same-sex couples contribute to strong family values; and allowing same-sex marriage is a way to make official a common union nowadays since homosexuality is more acceptable. There are important common features between the arguments for same-sex marriage and for those for protection of religious conscience. Although the two are pitted against each other in various disputes, the strongest features of the case for same-sex marriage make a strong case for significant religious liberty (Becker, 2012). Denying same-sex marriage is a violation of freedom. Although all major religions consider homosexuality a sin, gay couples claim a right beyond private behavior and participation in the social institution of civil marriage. The fight is for gay and lesbian couples to gain legal recognition, not religious recognition. Even most people against same-sex marriages agree that they do not hate gays; they just disagree with their lifestyles because of their religious belief and church affiliation (Horwitz, 2004). It is unfair for the government to decide what people should believe; this would be an infringement upon the right to freedom of religion (Goetting, 2013). In asking the question “What’s marriage (and family) got to do with it?” the study considers whether being married and family moderates the impact of religious predispositions on public support for same-sex marriage, legal unions and gay and lesbian couples raising children. The First Amendment of the Constitution clearly states that a person’s views or lack thereof must be protected. Religious accommodation should protect organizations and businesses like “the wedding photographer providing personal service” related to marriage (Horwitz, 2004). The Supreme Court’s right to marry and gay rights jurisprudence are in an untenable state. “Since the earliest same-sex marriage cases in the nineteenth…