What are some good arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage?

';Civil Unions give the all the legal rights of a marraige, so to me that's enough';





Because people think this. Perhaps at the state level for states that legalize gay marriage, gays that marry get most or some of the STATE benefits. However they get NONE of the 1138 FEDERAL benefits that heterosexual married couples receive.





http://gaylife.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/X鈥?/a>What are some good arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage?
If it is reflective of the will of the majority of voters in that particular state, then it is a GREAT idea...





If it is forced onto an opposing majority of voters by lawyers, opportunistic politicians and a strident minority, then it is a TERRIBLE idea...





...see the distinction? ';Marriage'; is not about two people who love each other at the moment...';Marriage'; is a union that is sanctioned by a group, be it a church, tribe or state. The State cannot dictate to any church or group how they define their ';marriages.'; So when asking for a State sanction, shouldn't the People of that State have a say in the matter?What are some good arguments in favor of legalizing gay marriage?
The impression that I get in listening to the debates about this issue is that it seems to center more around the use of the word ';marriage'; than it does around the actual subject of same sex unions.


Most people seem to think that a Civil Union, for instance, will suffice - but they seem also to forget that the Supreme Court has ruled that ';separate but equal'; is unconstitutional - and I suspect that this could apply to a word or phrase as well as to a school or university.


It's about freedom - simple as that - and tolerance and every ones rights as individuals to make choices (popular or otherwise) that don't infringe on any one elses rights.


Anyone who argues about the sanctity of heterosexual marriage had better pull their head out of the sand and check the statistics.


For the record, I am not gay and truly don't really understand this issue - but I do understand how a majority should not be allowed to impose their rules and regulations upon a minority - not in America anyways.
What are the good arguments in favor of heterosexual marriage? They are one and the same.





People marry for various reasons. Usually, they are in love or think they are in love. Sometimes they marry for money, property, citizenship, etc. Whatever the reasons are for heterosexual marriage hold true for Gay Marriage. There is no difference at all.
Conservatives in opposition to gay marriage revere our founding fathers as heroes that believed in freedom and liberty for all americans.





The Declaration of Independence clearly states ';The right to the pursuit of happiness'; It would be contradictory to not allow gays to pursue happiness like straight americans can.
people like ';lord god obama';, your first answerer, crack me up. do they really think if gays are allowed to marry, EVERYONE is going to suddenly discover previously unknown homoerotic impulses and leave their hetero relationships to hook up with someone of the same gender?





maybe that's true in THEIR case, but it won't be true for the other 90% of us.








portia v cracks me up, too... marriage is an institution that can now only be entered into legally by consenting adults. that precludes people from marrying either children or pets, as neither is capable of giving informed consent. and NO one is going to force you into or impose upon you such a union.








also, no law can compel any religious institution into performing a religious ritual for any reason whatsoever, so pat robertson is DEAD WRONG when he says ';churches will be sued for not marrying gays!';








a good argument in favor of legally recognizing the cultural compact of marriage between same sex couples would be the stabilization of the relationship legally, financially, and emotionally. this would benefit society in general by discouraging promiscuity and encouraging adults to maintain healthier relationships by granting them a defined set of privileges and imposing a defined set of obligations.





no ';special rights'; would be granted to same sex couples that are not already available to heterosexual couples.








but i'll tell you what... to all those who oppose same sex marriage, i will change my position publicly and embrace yours if you can show me how government recognition of same sex marriage will in any way threaten the cohesion of their relationship with their spouse.
Gay marriage doesn't need any arguments. Basically a very small minority of American citizens have been denied a natural right. Though not in the Constitution, we're supposed to believe that 'All men are created equal, and endowed with certain inalienable rights'...life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The constitution itself says nothing at all about any kind of marriage. What it does say is that 'enumeration of certain rights ...shall not disparage other rights etc. (9th Amendment). The only argument against gay marriage rests on some religious grounds...grounds that would establish a religious standard for marriage even though marriage is a CIVIL event not connected to any particular religious faith. The only argument I can make is that some citizens are denied equality under the law and the equal protection of the law. Amendment 14. Read the amendments word for word and there's no doubt that this is a totally bogus issue that's only kept alive by the Jesus freak right...another good reason to keep church and state separated to the greatest degree possible.
What a person does in their personal life is no business of the government, religion is not supposed to enter politics, and if they want to marry, then they should be able to. Additionally, it's discrimination when heterosexuals get marriage benefits, insurance, medical visitation, estate benefits, etc., and homosexual couples don't.
There are none. The next step is legalizing homosexual couples the right to adopt children, thus denying a perfectly capable hetero couple the right to adopt a child, who really has no say so in the matter. I wouldn't want a Catholic priest adopting some poor kid anymore than i'd ant an open homo adopting one....degrading.
Look at the stupid people who say gay marriage is an oxymoron. Yeah, to YOUR religion. The government can make what ever they want and call it whatever they want. Why do you people care what the goverment thinks anyway? If you held your religious beliefs as high as you insist, you would not rely on the goverment to feel the same way as you do.
uhm....





Ben and Jerry's Hubby Hubby Ice Cream?





Seriously, I could care less.





Don't see the need for Government action on it though. Find a church that will accept it, then get er done.





Besides, why should we change the definition of a word just to suit a small segment of society.





Civil Unions give the all the legal rights of a marraige, so to me that's enough
Gay marriage is an oxymoron. I don't care if homosexuals want to be together, but stop trying to change the definition of a word. Marriage is defined between a man and a woman. Come up with your own word, then we'll talk.
I personally can't think of any good reasons to legalize gay marriage.





What's gonna happen next? Can people marry their pets? Can Polygamy become legal? Imposing your kinky sex life onto a majority who disagrees that it is natural doesn't seem right to me.
I personally think that gays should be allowed to marry if there are some laws passed that restrict them from being able to take legal action against certain churches, synagogues or mosques that might refuse to marry them in order to remain faithful to their beliefs.
More Freedom!


Less Government!





Cons HATE freedom and LOVE big government! Besides, they prefer to cruise men's public toilets for gay sex like Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho).
It should be legal because it will have absolutely no effect on anyone else whatsoever. The only people who have a problem with it are the religious freaks who like to stick their nose in everyone else's business.
Gay peoples are american citizens , they should have the same rights as all american do in this country .
The fact that there are no good reasons to deny American citizens the same rights as other American citizens (i.e. the right to marry the consenting adult of their choice).
So Democrat Men can marry other Democrat Men.





And can be Happy.
There are none. Homosexuals do not rate what normal people are.
the only one i can think of is ugh , I cant think of one as civil unions take care of it
My argument is that these are states rights, not federal rights.
God made Adam and Eve


not Adam and Steve
Because They are in love, and wish to marry....
extinction
None.
There are none