Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

DENISE TIEU
Staff Writer

If the Declaration of Independence clearly states that, “all men [are] created equal [and] endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” then why is America still fighting a war to take away people’s happiness?
Same-sex marriage is condemned and banned in 31 states. Why? Because it’s not “normal.” What isn’t normal—love? Should we ban love too? Everyone is born with free will, including loving someone of the same sex. Some people have defined marriage as a “union specifically between a man and a woman in which procreation is involved.” However, if marriage is based on the ability to reproduce, then by that logic, should infertile couples still be allowed to marry? Society should not undermine the choices of people who wish to be in a same-sex marriage.
Fortunately, homosexual couples are one step closer to gaining equal standing with heterosexual couples. For the first time, the Supreme Court reviewed two cases regarding federal and state laws that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The first will be a case against federal law that denies married same-sex couples the federal benefits that heterosexual couples receive, while the second will reconsider the ban of homosexual marriages in California. If the Supreme Court makes the ban void, there is a high possibility that the 31 other states’ bans will also become void.
In the past, people who are homosexual have experienced numerous hardships. Many have suffered through hate crimes, discrimination, harassment or self-harm, due to their inability to match up to the public’s expectations. America should have learned from previous gay rights movements that unequal rights exist and those who experience it will fight to the end to gain equal standing with the rest of society. In today’s society, we should be able to surpass the general opinion and avoid discriminating based on sexual orientation.
No one in the world should be allowed to take away the rights of an individual or a certain group of people. Today, people who are homosexuals continue to fight against the public’s opinion on the one thing that they should be allowed to have: the right to marry whomever they desire. Marriage should only be the concern of the two people involved, rather than dictated by bigots. Although people who are homosexual have lost many battles, they are now close to winning the war.