Gay Marriage: Human Rights are gay rights, gay rights are human rights.

Human Rights are gay rights, gay rights are human rights. 

   (Originally written about women's rights by Lissa Muscatine, I'm totally not taking credit for this line)

At SEGL, we haven't had a case study on gay marriage, but there have been plenty of conversations about it, from both sides. I would like to share my thoughts on this issue. I sometimes have a hard time respecting the other side, but I try to listen to it, even if it doesn't seem like I do.
   
This is a short paper I wrote for my application to SEGL:

An ethical question facing the global community is gay marriage. Should gay people be able to get married? For me, the answer is absolutely. I have friends that are gay, and the thought of them not being able to get married to their partners disgusts me. Throughout history, women have had to fight for their equal rights, African-American people have had to fight for their rights, and now, gay people have to fight for their rights. I think that the world should be beyond this by now. Gay people will eventually win their right to marriage, it’s just a matter of time. I think that in 50 years, people will say how unbelievable it was that gay marriage wasn’t legal 50 years ago, just like now people can’t believe that just a few years back African-Americans didn’t have equal rights. The Government should take a stand on this issue, and make gay marriage legal everywhere. Although many religious groups don’t believe in gay marriage, they don’t run the government and I don't feel they have a right to take away other peoples’ rights because of their beliefs. I strongly feel that this is an issue of equality. Does the U.S. really believe in equality for all, or not? It is a simple question that should have no religious involvement at all. In the United States pledge of allegiance, it says, “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Is this really a nation with liberty and justice for all, or are those just empty words? It seems to me that these are just empty words, because there is not liberty and justice for all in many ways, gay marriage is just one example. The government should stand up for all, and not listen to those who are unreasonable such as religious extremist groups. The government’s job is to protect and stand up for the people, and right now, there is a whole group of people that are not being stood up for. I think that this is wrong, and this is yet another fight for equal rights that so many other groups in history have faced. It is sad that the world has not learned yet and that some people still have to fight for equality. Everyone is equal regardless of sexual orientation, religion, race, bottom line. 

      END PAPER.

I believe that preventing gay marriage from being legal is a breach of separation of church and state. The concept of separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion on the one hand and the nation state on the other. Jefferson wrote, "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." I believe in this. Religious values should be able to be incorporated, but not full-blown concepts depriving people of their rights. 

I see though, that gay marriage is not acceptable to some because of their religious beliefs. Their facts about the issue are truth to them, and not to me. So, how do we know who's right? In this case, I feel that we need to go with the "fact" facts and go to those who deal with this. I could go over all the studies etc. but I'm not going to. Rather, I would challenge anyone who opposes gay marriage and gay rights to ask a person who is gay about what the truth is. They would know better than anyone else. Many religions believe gay people choose to be gay. I challenge anyone to ask a gay person if they chose to be gay. See what they say. 

I think it's easier to not support gay rights if you don't know anyone who's gay, but when you know someone who is, think about whose rights are being taken away. It's theirs. If you know someone who's gay, say Bob, think. Do you like Bob? Is Bob a good friend? Should Bob have rights? Should Bob have the same rights as straight people? Why should he? Why shouldn't he? Are you hurting Bob with your beliefs? Why should Bob be hurt for being different? Really think about it, and I challenge you to embrace these questions. If you are fine with your answers, great. If you struggle and feel unsettled about how you're answering, look more into it. Embrace those feelings. Personalize the issue. We're not talking about aliens, we're talking about people. If you're religion disagrees with gay rights, you can still be a good Christian etc. and not support a part of the religion. I'm Jewish, but I don't support all parts of Judaism, but I still consider myself a good Jew.