A New Civil Rights Movement: Legalizing Gay Marriage

There are a lot of tricky issues that we face in the United States today. Whether or not to vaccinate children, whether or not to legalize marijuana, whether or not to legalize gay marriage. All of these topics interest me in some way or another. Especially legalizing gay marriage. One doesn't have to be a homosexual to know that gay people are still people. Should not gay people be allowed the same rights as straight people?

If we take a look at civil rights issues of the past, we may feel like we've come a long way. We no longer segregate African Americans from Caucasians. Women can vote and work just like men can. Indeed, we have come along way from the days of yore when white people had a separate bathroom and woman's suffrage issues were taking center stage. I'm still reminded though, that we have a long way to go yet. Especially when it comes to the issue of gay marriage.

Indeed we have made some strides. According to this article on stateline.org, no same sex couples could wed in 2004. Not legally anyway. Today there are six states in which it is legal for same sex couples to marry. Sadly, though, there are still 29 states that have prohibitions blocking same-sex marriages in their state constitutions. Why is this?

America seems to take very seriously the fact that it is a "Christian nation" but, according to a 2009 USA Today article that you can read here, the amount of individuals who consider themselves "Christians" has dropped by 11%. It seems to me that individuals who classify themselves as Christians seem to be the ones who take the most offense to the legalization of gay marriage. They are under the belief that marriage is a civil union between a man and a woman. Who decided that? The archaic rules of the Bible? I would like to point out that, through the years, Christians have molded the Bible and changed the biblical rules that they follow along with the changing times. Is it time yet to update the stance on gay marriage and the acceptance of homosexuality altogether? I believe it is.

In my opinion, it is an old fashioned, and outdated, belief that says that homosexuals are less than equal. Gay people are people with thoughts and feelings and emotions just like straight people. We are all one in this journey through life and if we're allowed to practice our religions and speak freely, shouldn't we also be allowed to marry who we deem fit to marry? Why should politicians and religious zealots be able to tell us who we can and cannot marry? According to this BalancedPolitics.org article, the cons all involve religious beliefs. While it is an American freedom to be able to practice whichever religion you choose, it is also an American freedom to choose not to buy into these religions and, in turn, not to have those beliefs forced upon individuals.

The arguments against gay marriage are weak and lacking in logic. I believe that it is a travesty that homosexual couples are not allowed the same rights that straight couples often take for granted. If you share my beliefs, you can go here for more information. I think Frank Lloyd Wright said it best when he said "Toleration and liberty are the foundations of a great republic."