Wedded Bliss

I think it would be hard to write about the rights of Americans without quoting the most important declaration of our nation that “ We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”This is the fundamental core of our doctrine, and it is our responsibility to make sure that each citizen is a fulfillment of this universal truth.

Gay marriage is a big topic today because there are states that are trying to legalize this institution so that anyone has the right to marry whom they choose. I believe that without giving everyone the right to choose who they legally bind themselves too, is in fact violating this fundamental value of our nation. Sexual orientation should not be considered a factor when we are to be a nation where religious beliefs are separate from our democratic government. I read on Steve A.’s essay that the idea of Separation of Church and state, may be going too far is it is removing the ideals that our forefathers established based on their Christian beliefs. It is true that our laws and government are based off of things that Christians consider Godly. Laws based off of the Ten Commandments are also are universal truths to most religions.  And I do personally think that it is important to recognize the foundation that we stand on.  However, I feel that as a nation we need to remind ourselves that we are to govern the people, who are all equal, without religious prejudice. It is the belief of many Christians, and other faiths, that a man should not marry a man, and woman should not marry a woman, and that the sanctity of marriage is to be a union between a man and a woman only.  I do believe though,  when it comes to a civil union for the basis of legal benefits and rights between one person and another,  (because anyone can bind themselves to another symbolically without legal recognition), we cannot hold religious doctrine to the citizens of a nation that everyone is be equal under our laws. This would be a block to an American citizen’s right to liberty and their personal pursuit of happiness.

We must recognize this injustice and think of the current and future consequences this restriction has/will have. Families that could be stable homes will never be formed, people will be forced to stay single, and never reach that next level of maturity in a relationship. Children that need to be adopted may never be adopted into a loving environment, and furthermore, children of single parents, may never experience the benefit of two loving adults in their life. There are many consequences that the future can hold and this will affect all of us as a nation. For example, we will provide more health care to the single person who can’t afford insurance, and cannot get on their partners insurance.  We will not be able to supplicate the economy with more money spent on more weddings, as well as the tax brackets that people will stay in as a single adult. Unless we stand up for them, then we are making them second class citizens that are not able to have the advantage of being an American, simply because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, I think that it is hypocritical of people to say that gay marriage will somehow tarnish the sanctity of marriage when, if most of the marriages in this country as of now are heterosexual, and many still end, in fact, half of them fail for reason that is condemned just as much in the same religious doctrine that people try to use against the idea of gay marriage, i.e. adultery.

I believe that we are doing the exact opposite and creating a bigger problem for our nation by not allowing all people to get married. It is oppressing people from the right to start a stable home and pursue family life. This very oppression is what I believe aid in the stagnant lifestyle that many gay people lead.  Yes there is personal choice on how ones lives, but hear me out.  Even as a Christian myself, (who does not believe that homosexuality is anymore an “abomination” than eating shrimp according to Leviticus- the main book many people like to use for this agenda) I believe that everyone should have the right to a mature relationship and not only have the right to symbolically commit themselves to another, but also have the legal benefits that this country gives to those who promise their lives to each other.  I have read the letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians where he describes how wonderful it can be to be a single person, but that it takes a lot of self-discipline to stay away from temptations and specifically sexually immoral relationships, debauchery and such that come outside of the safe harbor of marriage. He describes how marriage gives people a safe place, a companionship, to carry out a Godly relationship that is sexually moral. It makes me think back to the days in my life where I was young and single, fuelled by a culture of “freedom” and alcohol, where my behavior was less than moral. If I was not afforded to opportunity to marry someone and settle down with them, ,in a committed, and not only moral, but legal union, would I not be in the same stagnant lifestyle if I was told I had no right to marry the person that I chose to live with in such a way?  It is called settling down for a reason, because many of us can say that we changed our ways when we married.

I personally know a married couple, two women. They are wonderful, they are kind, they are happy, and they have two children, who are being brought up in a loving home, with the support of two parents, who can provide for each other and support each other, in all the ways that a legal marriage provides. They are setting an example, in fact proof, that this is what marriage is about, not their sexual orientation. They live their lives happily, are not a burden to the government, and maintain a healthy monogamous relationship. It was not easy though, they had to marry in another state, and they reside in a state that does not support gay marriage. But, one of them is lucky to work for a company that recognized their union so that they can receive all the benefits from the employed. Think about all of the things that a legal marriage provides: medical coverage or medical emergencies come to my mind, or the right to not speak against their partner in a court of law. Think of the rights that a loving step-parent has to be able to protect a child that they love, or a husband being able to make medical decisions for his wife as she lay dying. These rights are rights that people should have with the people that they love, no matter what.

Whenever I speak about this subject, I often find that I myself can only come up with one argument as to why this deficiency in citizen’s rights is allowed. And that is the fact that we are a democracy, with the right to vote. So therefore, if the majority of citizens believe gay marriage should not be allowed, then it it will not be. Therein lays the question though, that if this is the right of straight people, then it should be the right of gay people, and therefore, should it be put to a vote at all?

Sara Corso