A few years ago, I flipped through a magazine and found an ad with two male twins. The print ad went onto state something along the lines that one of these Americans was not considered a full citizen. The point was an interesting one. Is the issue of same-sex marriage a moral or legal debate? And if moral, isn't the purpose of a law to protect the large umbrella of beliefs and morals of the people in America? Some may debate that laws protect morality. No, laws protect ethics. It is not unethical to be gay. It may seem immoral within certain belief systems, but it is certainly not unethical. Homosexuality is no greater or lesser a cause for any benefits or problems in this world than hetersexuality.

The individual may disapprove of gay marriages. This is acceptable. A person can dislike a law, just as they may dislike being taxed or having to wait until being 18 years old to vote. A citizen is entitled to argue the law, but he or she must still abide by it.

The concept of family is a group of people who share and nurture a value system. The definition of that value system is not stipulated by any laws in this country. In order to outlaw gay marriage, the government would have to logically outlaw homosexuality. It can't, at least not in 2008! The solution to being rational with anti-gay marriage argurments cannot be met. If a person can legally express their sexuality then, they must be able to act upon it to the fullest extent of the law as anyone else. For that matter, the next debate may become "I love my cat. Can I marry her?" The solution? Make having pets illegal. Mock the logic, if you want, but laws are meant to make sense from beginning to end.

Two men or two women together is not the issue. Single parents exist around the world. Wealthy singles adopt children. There are no real restrictions on parental and family structures throughout the world. Yet, there is a stigma with homosexuality that implies it is unnatural or wrong, since it deviates steadfastly from the man, woman, and child norm. Accepting that as fact, it is understandable to become scandalized and perhaps disgusted with the idea of a same-sex couple "mating" for life with their adopted children. There is, however, no less love in this well-intentioned household than in any other.

The legal benefits that come with legal marriage are plenty: tax breaks, rights to benefits, medical rights, property options, mortgage and credit alternatives, and of course, retirement and wills. Two single people have to go through plenty of paper work to attain the simplcity that comes with marriage. The term, marriage, is simply the coming together of two people and their lives. It is not religious. It is societal.

Learn more about this author, Prin Dumas.
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