A majority of the media attention is placed on whether same sex couples can get married. However, there has been significant progress in granting same sex couples health and other benefits in courtrooms and legislature. In Congress last week, a House committee approved legislation that would provide benefits, including health insurance, retirement and disability, to same-sex partners of federal employees. (read more about specific examples in the link embedding in the title.) Even one of the most prominent opponents of same-sex marriage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has shown willingness to support rights outside of marriage, by backing a Salt Lake City law prohibiting housing and employment discrimination against gays. However, voters in Maine repealed the state law that allowed same sex couples to wed.
It's enlightening to see that we've made progress in gay rights. However, I don't understand why so many people want to prohibit an official marriage. In Washington state, voters recently endorsed an "everything but marriage" bill that expands domestic partnership rights to lesbians, gays and unmarried elderly couples. See, I don't understand the point of that at all. It seems so strange that 57 percent of Americans oppose granting same-sex marriages legal status, but the same poll found that 67 percent would grant them access to health insurance and other benefits. Would anybody from this ten percent care to explain to me this?
Friday, November 27, 2009
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9 comments:
Well, this is a good thing! Progress is better than no progress at all. But yeahh, it still confounds me why they won't accept gay marriage. It might be because of low GOTV or because of a lack of motivation in younger voters. After all, our generation might think differently then the older generations [ours being more radical--correct me if i'm wrong]. It just so happens that majority of the active voters are people aged 50+, and just not us.
Or maybe politicians simply avoid the issue because it would harm them on a political standpoint? I think there's this federal law that is an obstacle towards pro-gay marriage: Defense of Marriage Act
T
his act states that
"In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word 'spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."
[http://www.lectlaw.com/files/leg23.htm]
In short, I think this act is really causing in problems in how things are being done. Without this "definition," I think it might be that much easier for people to successfully protest and persuade the state to legalize gay marriage.
It all boils down to religion and whatnot. Honestly, other than that, I don't see how there could be a legitimate reason to prevent same sex marriage.
There isn't a legitimate reason. None exist. All of them have been destroyed by logical argument, and it does boil down to religion. This entire thing is a black mark on the United States' supposed separation of Church and State.
This is an example of one of the main reasons we have a Republic instead of a Direct Democracy. Because when it comes down to it, the elite are usually wiser. Unfortunately, we've had state wide votes to determine the legality of gay marriage. We're actually letting people, who are totally unaffected by the decision, make choices for the people the decision does affect.
What bothers me is that Marriage isn't nearly as religious as most people believe. It may be to the believers, but priests aren't able to marry people because they're priests, they're allowed to marry people because the government has authorized them to do so. That's why Judges can marry people. The clergy only has the right to civilly marry people because the government says so.
I totally agree with Sam-Our country was founded with the belief that separation of Church and State was more beneficial for the people. It is absolutely ridiculous and hypocritical that the US currently denies same sex couples civil rights because of a belief based in religion. I understand that religion is a separate union, and really do understand that religions, by no means, have to recognize same sex marriages if they don't want to. However, our government, which is completely separate from religion, should. So many countries around the world have legally differentiated civil unions and religious marriages. Why can't we do the same?
I Like that this is progress bt I dont see why people cant get married if they aare allowed the same benifits as other couples. I hope befor i die, and i think that it will happen, that people wll be able to marry who they please.
What it boils down to is what a person defines as marriage. If people believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, then why should gay people be allowed to get married? And if you legalize gay marriage, then you've just changed the definition of marriage.
And change is bad.
I think there are different ways that people interpret marriage. It can mean union between a man and a women. But in some cases, people also see it as being able to marry who you please and live a happy life with them without having to be separated.
I agree with Kasper on the "Progress is better than no progress at all." It's kind of a head scratcher though as to why they would allow benefits but they won't allow marriage. I suppose people's views on marriage are still very traditional and it seems that won't change for awhile.
sadly I did not know about the repeal of the law in Maine, though I was surprised that it past there at all. I have a close relative who is gay, and it is very disheartening that even in this day in age its not a given that ALL people receive equal rights. We pride ourselves on 'equality' when we don't really have it. Progress is good though, and I guess as Civil Rights has shown that slow and steady wins but still...
This is amazing news! I believe this definitely does reflect change from a different generation. Even though same sex rights are not completely even yet, we as Americans should feel fortunate that our country is able to embrace homosexually as much as it has.
Here's a list where being gay or lesbian is illegal. For now, I just hope the rest of the world can take the same steps America has towards accepting gay rights.
http://www.publicagenda.org/charts/countries-where-homosexuality-illegal
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