LEGALIZATION OF SAMESEX MARRIAGE

Brandon Johnston

The First Amendment, nineteen states, as well as the Bill of

Rights all play a roll in the legalization of same-sex marriage.

THESIS

The First Amendment:

The First Amendment grants the right of freedom, religion, and

speech. Many supporters of same-sex marriage argue that this
amendment should grant the protection of the rights of clergy
and faith communities to perform their own marriage ceremonies.

ARGUMENT

Nineteen States:

Same-sex marriage is recognized across nineteen states;

however, thirty-one states still lack the recognition of these
couples.

Not only does this mean that these states do not recognize them
as a couple, but these individuals are missing out on thousands of
dollars in benefits from their spouses.

ARGUMENT

The Constitution as a whole:

The fourteenth amendment clearly states in Section 1 that: No state

shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive
any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor
deny to any person within jurisdiction the equal protection of laws.

The first line says, a state cannot deny nor create a law that revokes one
persons privilege that is without revoking it from someone else. The law
goes on to state that life, liberty, or property cannot be denied from you
because of what society views homosexuals as. A heterosexual cannot
be delivered a right before a homosexual just because someone feels
the heterosexual is more deserving because they are normal.

ARGUMENT

Marriage is a sacred institution

The word sacred suggests marriage is a solely religious institution.

Statistics show that civil, non-religious marriage make up of over half
of the marriages in the United States.

Marriage has always been a bond between one man and

one woman

This statement ignores the legally married gay couples in Canada,

Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland,
Belgium, Netherlands, and South Africa.

It conveniently forgets the 48 countries where polygamy is still

practiced and the history of married gay couples in ancient China and
Rome.

COUNTERARGUMENT

Masci, D. (2009, July 09). A Contentious Debate: Same-Sex Marriage in the

U.S. Retrieved September 20, 2014, from http://pewforum.org/Gay-Marriageand-Homosexuality/A-Contentious-Debate-Same-Sex-Marriage-in-the-US.aspx

Powers, Kirsten. "Christianity's new look on gays." National Catholic Reporter

4 July 2014: 25. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.

Same Sex Marriage. (2010, April). Retrieved September 20, 2014, from
http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16430

"Same-sex military spouses sue for equal benefits." CNN Wire 11 Sept. 2014.
Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.

Skillen, J. W. (2003, October 20). Marriage and Homosexual Rights. Retrieved

September 18, 2014.

SOURCES