The news story from CNN is here. In this case, the state legislature passed the bill and the governor signed it. It seems as though gay marriage has become legal in the U.S. in a variety of ways depending on the state. What method do you think should be used? Should it be a matter of the courts to decide if gay and lesbian couples are being denied equal protection? Should it be a matter for state legislatures? Should the people of a state be given a vote on the matter as when California voters passed Proposition 8, and made gay marriage illegal once again after CA Supreme Court declared that it should be legal? Is there a role for the federal government to play?
There are a lot of angles to issue - and much like the Civil Rights movement we have been studying in class, proponents of gay marriage are using a variety of techniques and methods to achieve their goals. What are your thoughts on how this issue should be decided, and who should have the final say?
Toward the end of the article I linked above, there was some interesting survey data. While a majority of Americans oppose gay marriage, about 60% of those in the 18-35 age group approve of gay marriage. It looks like it is only a matter of time before a majority of Americans will come around to supporting gay marriage.
Meanwhile in our State, the legislature passed a measure last month that was known as the "Everything but Marriage" bill, which gives gay and lesbian couples a civil union that has all of the same legal rights as heterosexual marriage. The only difference under this law, is that the word marriage isn't used to define the union.
I read some interesting commentary from Danny Westneat in the Seattle Times. He argues that the debate over gay marriage is pretty much over, with the advocates of homosexual marriage having all but won the battle.
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16 comments:
Not allowing same sex marriage violates the 14th amendment because it's not giving everyone equal rights. You can't let straight people get married and then deny gays and lesbians the right to marriage. What harm is it doing if gay people get married anyways? I don't understand it...
-Dylan Dislers
I agree with Dirk, that not allowing gays and lesbians to marry is in total violation of the 14th amendment. Even though i may not like it, it is their constitutional right.
I believe that the framers of constitution specifically left these sorts of decisions to be made by individual states, which they have been, the fact that the people of california voted to make same sex marriage illegal again after the CA supreme court made it legal serves to reinforce the ideology that the US government is of the people, by the people and for the people. States should allow same sex couples the same rights but why does it matter if it's called marriage or not? Equal rights are Equal rights and marriage is just a lable. IF the supreme court of any state rules same sex marriage as legal then that means it is constitutional in their interpretation of the constitution. however the 14th amendment states that no STATE shall pass legislation discriminating against minorities. So in my opinion state legislatures and courts should not have the right to pass laws and bills illegalizing same sex marriage, but if the peolpe of the state vote to allow it then that is justifiable.
Mark Bello
Period 5
Current events 7
I definately am proud to say that this has come to effect in one more state. I think that by restricting gay couples from getting married violates the fourteenth amendment. Its definately not equal to allow one group of people marriage and others not. although i believe gay marriage should be legal, i do not believe churches should be required to marry gay couples unless they give consent to it. if they did require that would be restricting their freedom to religion which in many religions believe gay marriage should not be legal.
i think that this is great that gay marriage is legal in maine. i believe that gay couples should have the same rights as straight ones. I dont understand who it hurts to let gay couples to get married, because everyone deserves the right to happiness. And just like the 14th amendment states that everyone is equal and has the same rights. i think this includes black, white, gay, straight, and everyone else in between. It is seperating people and not giving them the same rights.
Mark makes a valid arguement in that the Framers of the constitution avoided issues such as these, believing they should be left up to the individual states. I would also echo many previous arguements made that it is in violation of the 14th amendment to allow certain groups of people to marry and not others. If there is a strong enough opposition to such measures, one option for congress would be an amendment that stated that marriage could only be between a man and a woman. That, however, would require likely far more support than is out there for such a "sanctity of marriage bill". Look for other states to follow the ways of Maine, Iowa, Vermont and others.
-Dylan Jenkins
5th Period
I believe that, any individual should be able to marry who ever they want. I mean if you think about it in our constitution it states that we as people have the right to Life, Liberty and Happiness. Not allowing gay marriage is saying that the government wants to break the constitution. I also think that not allowing gay marriage is segregation; you are separating individuals from being in contact (partners) which they have every right to be together. The constitution doesn’t say anything about gay marriage. In the olden days, many men that were wealthy had at some point experienced the same sex intimately. All in all I think tat gay marriage is perfectly normal and should be legal all across the world.
I do not agree with gay marriage but I do disagree with them not letting gays get married. Becuase it does violate the 14th amendment, which says that all people are equal and have equal rights. So if two men or two women want to get married who is to tell them that they can't. I think that any one who lives in the U.S should be able to marrie who ever they want.
Brigette Battle
current event #8
late (cause i was sick)
Honestly i dont see whats wrong with gay marriage in the U.S. Its just the people that discriminate in this country causing gay marriage to stay illegal. Also in our state we have the "Everything but Marriage" bill which i think is pointless to have because it gives gay couples same legal rights but it just doesn't have the actual word MARRAIGE to define the union. This is annoying me and wasting my time so i think we should just allow it.
Junior Jack
per.5
I think that they should let gays and lesbians get married because thats how they are and will be like that. By not letting them get married thats wrong because the
14th amendment is that everyone should get equal rights. they should just let them get married no matter if they are gay or lesbians. Thats there life style and should have the equal rights as everyone else.
~Joanna Izazaga~
5th period
current event #9
I believe that not allowing gay marraige to happen is ridiculous. It violates the 14th amendment and it says that people have equal rights where here the court and the people are not allowing homosexual people to have a equal rights. i think that if someone wants to get married to the same sex the state should allow them to because everyone has a right to be happy and love whomever they want. other people should not be allowed to control someone elses happiness.
I think that gay marriage should be legal. This is because the fourteenth amendment says that people have equal rights. Gay people should be able to get married too. Anyone should be able to get married according to equal rights. If a man and a woman can get married a man and a man should be able to get married also a woman and a woman. That is why states are going against the fourteenth amendment by denying gay marriage. The government is going against the constitution by denying gay marriage. That is why I think gay marriage should be legal.
Spencer truong
Period 5
Current event #9
Yeah, i dont think its a big deal, its pretty simple just like every other student said, it violates the 14th ammendment, i just needed to make up these old current events, Can we count this one and #3?
-Dylan Evans
Current Event #5: I think that the choice whether gay marriage is legal or not should not just depend on what the courts decide, but the people of the state should be able to vote on the matter. I think that is a fairer way of deciding whether to make it legal, instead of letting a group of leaders decide it for the people. the citizens will get to speak their minds and express their feelings and decide for themselves what they want. then what the majority votes, thats what passes.
I think that denying gays and lesbians the right to be married is for sure a violation of the 14th amendment because it is not giving everyone the equal rights they deserve. As for the issue of WHERE they would go about getting married, I do not believe that all places of marriage should be forced to wed gay couples, but there should be designated places that they can be married. I also believe that since the constitution states that all citizens have the right to life, liberty, and happiness; it would be a violation of the constitution to deny gays and lesbians legal marriage
Current events #9
Keegan malmanger
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