According to Hospers The essential ingredient in all freedom from coercion by other is one’s basic and inalienable right; it is fundamental to human survival and the development of the self (Machan 8). The most fundamental right is liberty. When an individual claims to have a right, it is another’s duty to respect that right (Machan 7). All claims to right cannot violate any other’s claims to rights. Negative rights to libertarians are essential.
He points out that he is not referring to religious traditions but suggests, in a public institution, marriage should be available to any two citizens. He states that “The center of the public contract is an emotional, financial, and psychological bond between two people; in this respect, heterosexuals and homosexuals are identical.” Contemporary Western society recognizes that marriage is an emotional commitment by two people. And with that definition, if one believes in equality, there’s no reason it should be denied homosexuals. Sullivan adds marriage doesn’t have to be procreative, and there isn’t a civil marriage license that says couples have to have children. Sullivan says that minors and close family members should not be given the right to marry because minors are unable to understand such a commitment.
It’s not like anyone is getting hurt by letting people be happy. This is the United States everyone is supposed to have the same rights. “Gay and lesbian rights are not ‘special rights’ in any way. It isn’t ‘special’ to be free from discrimination - it is an ordinary, universal entitlement of citizenship.” (Bond) But clearly that isn’t how it is anymore. "The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behaviour or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.
In turn it imposes weighty legal, financial, and social obligations." Marriage is not about religion, race, or sexual preference. Marriage is about a union between two people who commit themselves to one another, excluding all others, and creating a stable life together to be productive members of society. The Goodridge court stated that their decision, “does not disturb the fundamental value of marriage in our society…[t]hat same-sex couples are willing to embrace marriage's solemn obligations of exclusivity, mutual support, and commitment to one another is a testament to the enduring place of marriage in our laws and in the human spirit." It is unconstitutional for the government to infringe upon basic rights of citizens to get married solely because of their racial or sexual
My Personal Ethics Statement: I believe that gay marriage should be legal because everyone should be treated with equality no matter what their sexual preference is. It is legal in more states to marry your pets than it is to marry your “life partner”. It has been said that gays make marriage look bad and give marriage a bad name but I disagree with that. Celebrities give marriage and its meaning a bad name when their marriages only last for 72 hours. My Ethical Lens Inventory Discoveries: Through the Ethical Lens Inventory, I discovered that it is designed to help you determine which category of the four ethical lenses you belong to.
This leads to a moral law, or a natural law, which includes the duty to maintain the rights of others. According to Locke, we are moral people, so there is no “war against all”. In Locke’s eyes, we should uphold Lex Rex (the law is king). We need the law to uphold order and assure we keep our inalienable rights, and no one should be above said law, not even a king. He believes in the commonwealth, and the people have the obligation to seek it.
Some argue they shouldn’t for reasons such as being a POW. I agree what they say about being a POW, but if they understand the risks, I believe they should be allowed to, if they are willing. I support the current policy on “Don’t ask, don’t tell” for homosexuals in the military. It is the best and safest way for them to serve in the military. Just because someone is gay should not stop them from serving.
Gays are a minority group just as African-American’s and other various religious and ethnic groups; the others are allowed to marry, even interracially or with different religious preferences. The U.S. Supreme Court states that prejudice cannot be put into a state Constitution. This alternative lifestyle is seen as a minority group which in The Bill of Rights is supposed to be protected, not politically and publicly discriminated against. “Most religions consider homosexuality a sin (Messerli, 2011). There are more severe actions
The Conflict of Gay Marriage in America PHI 103: Informal Logic The Conflict of Gay Marriage in America Part One – Thesis Because America is a country founded on equal rights for all, marriage is a right that must be afforded to homosexuals. Arguments against gay marriage are often supported by religious ideals. In America, where we have freedom of religion or freedom to even choose not to be religious, these arguments should not be considered when forming laws. To do so would not be just. Part Two – Argument “Not allowing gays to marry is discrimination because they do not receive the same legal benefits that married people do.
And such simple, nebulous declarations are hardly a compelling reason. They're really more like an expression of prejudice than any kind of a real argument. The concept of not denying people their rights unless you can show a compelling reason to do so is the very basis of the developed world’s ideal of human rights. Marriage is not just an institution, but also a symbol representing our culture’s ideals about sex, sexuality, and human relationships. Symbols are important; they are a common cultural currency which we each use to help create our sense of self.