Same Sex or Same Rights essays

Same Sex or Same Rights essays It has been a controversial subject for decades now, yet still a solution has not been achieved. Hundreds of writers have written for and against this subject and many great points have been made. There are two specific essays that appeared in Newsweek, June 3, 1996. Andrew Sullivan wrote Let Gays Marry in his hopes to persuade the audience that gay marriage is perfectly legitimate. In response to this essay, William Bennett, wrote Leave Marriage Alone, and published it in the same issue as Sullivan. Both of these authors produce effective arguments; which makes this controversy that much more interesting. These two essays are similar in many ways although their differences are just as significant. Let Gays Marry was written on gay marriages. Sullivan touches on many points including human rights, love, separation of church and state, and hypocrisy. Sullivan describes the Supreme Court ruling (1996) by quoting their decision. A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws.(p. 25) Thus he believes that all humans have the same rights and should be given the same opportunities to marry. Sullivan goes on to say that marriage is a bond symbolizing a loving relationship between two people. He argues that there is no reason to try to prevent two people from expressing their love since love is exactly what marriage is based on. One major point that Sullivan made is that he is not requesting that religion change its beliefs. He continues to believe that church and state should be separate. Sullivan (1996) only argues that when the government gives out civil marriage licenses, those of us who are gay should be treated like anybody else.(p. 26) Finally, Sulliva n describes his disgust towards the hypocrisy of the involved within this controversy. Many of those against gay marriage feel that the definition of marriage involves the raising of children. Although, Sullivan brings up the poin...