Gay Marriage

The idea of gay marriage is what I would call a recent phenomenon. I say recent because it has only been in the past few years that activists in the country have become extremely vocal about legalizing gay marriage. What got the ball rolling was the first legally gay marriage in the United States which was performed in San Francisco in 2004 between Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon who are gay rights activists. After this first marriage the idea of homosexuals marrying became a trend that swept across the country. Many gay rights activists argue that it is the will and desire of the people in this country to legalize gay marriage. Ironically pro gay marriage legislation has failed to pass in all of the states where it has gone to a vote by the people and by a landslide margin at that. Why is it that so far the overwhelming majority of our country does not approve of having gay marriage legalized? Is it because our country is full of bigoted, gay bashing, homophobes? I would not say that this is the case at all. The reason the people of the United States are against legalizing gay marriage is because of the effect it would have on our morals. One of the primary reasons that the United States has become the most successful country in the world is because of how strong the family situation is and has been since the onset of our founding fathers. What people over look about the idea of gay marriage is the actual purpose and definition of marriage itself. The entire purpose of marriage is to procreate. Men and women are supposed to have children, raise a family while instilling moral values, and at the same time contribute to society and further their own wellbeing. Marriage as an institution was created to help make it possible for men and women to juggle all of the tasks demanded by society and the human race as a whole. If one of the primary points for married couples is to procreate, then how can we give the right of marriage to homosexuals who cannot

Cited: Bennett, William. “Leave Marriage Alone.” Newsweek 3 June 1996. “Let Them Wed.” The Economist 4 Jan. 1996. “Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Make History Again.” NOW 13 Feb. 2004. 25 Oct. 2005 < http://www.now.org/issues/lgbi/021304lyon-martin.html >.