I'm not looking for edits, I'm just showing an essay I wrote after discussing other essays in HYT. Feel free to critique, argue, whatever. -Logic Homosexual marriage has always been the subject of social stigma. The sanctity of marriage has been targeted by some groups as something to 'protect,' but protect from what? Those who advocate for homosexual marriage have yet to propose any limitation or compromise on heterosexual marriage. In essence, those that advocate for marriage equality are reduced to a simple change: we want the homosexual community to enjoy the same freedoms, liberties and protection under the law as those of the heterosexual community enjoy. However, the central argument against homosexual marriage does not consist of an alleged limitation on heterosexual marriage. Several arguments I have heard against homosexual marriage are religion, the social stigmatization of homosexuals and the 'abuses' of marriage that would stem from allowing homosexuals to marry. Religion has dictated people's morals for millennia. Perhaps one of the most widely used arguments against the homosexual's right to marriage is religion, namely Christianity It has been brought up countless times in debates about gay rights that "God hates gays" or something similar. God doesn't say it: the Bible wasn't written by God. But Moses does refer to homosexuals in the Book of Leviticus, "you shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22). While this is a clear statement, it is later contradicted. The book of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) directs us to "recognize that your neighbor feels as you do, and keep in mind your own dislikes" (Sirach 31:15). You can use the Book of Leviticus as an argument, but you also have to look at the rest of the bible: if Leviticus 18:22 is saying that homosexuality is a sin, then isn't Sirach 31:15 expressing that it's inappropriate to suppress people's desires because we wouldn't like to be suppressed, thereby contradicts Moses? Although the use of the Book of Leviticus can be a valid argument when considered in a vacuum, but it loses its validity when applied in reality. America is based on democratic values, which means it is the government's job to protect the people's rights; it is not a theocracy. America does not change its laws based on statements issued by the Pope or any other religious leader. To use religion to dictate law in a country where religion isn't the backbone of the legal structure is illogical. To exemplify this, let's apply Biblical Law to America's current legal system. Adultery in New York is illegal: a class B misdemeanor punishable by 90 days in prison or a 500 dollar fine, but if we are going to use the Bible to dictate our legal system, then it becomes punishable by death (Leviticus 20:10). Homosexuals will be also punished by death (Leviticus 20:13), when in New York only the marriage of homosexuals is illegal. Fortune telling is illegal in New York when the fortune teller doesn't let the client know that it is for entertainment and receives the same punishment as an adulterer/adulteress. The Bible doesn't make this distinction – the fortune teller will be stoned to death regardless of their intent (Leviticus 20:27). But, this scenario is impossible. The Constitution protects the masses from laws being created based on religious ideals. To quote the first amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". This means that your right to believe is protected, but the right of others to not have to follow your beliefs is also protected. Time and time again, the stigmatization of homosexuals manifests. They are said to go against the 'norms' of society, making the idea of their marriage inappropriate. If we believe homosexuals are a social stigma and go against the norm, wouldn't Jewish people and African Americans be social stigmas too? Yes, by definition. The social 'norms' of America is Caucasian and Christian. But, do they have the right to marry? Yes they do. There was no logical reason to keep these people from marrying. Marriage didn't lose its alleged sanctity. Several times in my discussions about the homosexual's right to marry, I have heard that homosexuals will abuse the right to marry. When asked which abuses would stem from their right to marry, economics is almost always the answer. If homosexual marriage is legal, two men or women could marry and benefit economically. Now, this benefit could be anything: social security benefits, taxation benefits, healthcare benefits and even gold-digging. This isn't the problem – the problem is that two men or women could marry each other and have no romantic or sexual interest in each other. This could pose a threat to the economy. Best friends could just marry to evade high taxes, but don't heterosexuals do this too? The reasons why people get married is limitless: people marry for love, money, social status, to please parents and even to deny their homosexuality. If heterosexuals do this, why can't homosexuals, or even friends of the same sex? The definition does not include love as the reason for marriage. Doesn't this mean that mean that the reasons for marriage are not bound by love? To say that homosexuals would abuse the right to marry is offensive because heterosexuals abuse it in the same way. For decades, the decision about homosexual marriage has been a volatile subject. With religion being a chief factor in the discussion, the sanctity of marriage being 'threatened', the legal threats of same sex marriage and the fear of the stigma becoming the social norm, many people feel that homosexual marriage is inappropriate. If our government denies homosexuals right to marry based on a religious institution, it is going against the very Constitution upon which it swore to serve. We, as fellow human beings, have to respect the feelings and happiness of others. I know I wouldn't like to wake up one day and be told that I lost my right to marry. I'm sure you wouldn't either. And like Sirach 31:15 says, "recognize that your neighbor feels as you do, and keep in mind your own dislikes".
