Lia tuiasosopo

Lia Tuiasosopo Assistant Section Editor Con- Marriage Equality Marriage is and has always been defined as the union between a man and a woman. In 1971, the Supreme Court of Minnesota decision of Baker v. Nelson found that “ the institution of marriage as a union of man and woman, uniquely involving the procreation and rearing of children within a family is as old as the book of Genesis. ” Gay marriage can lead down a “ slippery slope” resulting in giving people in polygamous, incestuous, bestial, and other nontraditional relationships. By legalizing same-sex marriage, America is de-instutionalizing marriage. Marriage equality is not only incompatible with the beliefs that this nation was built upon, but if legalized, it will only have negative effects on our distressed economy. An increase of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars would take place in order to fund gay couples. People should not be forced to paying for something they do not believe in or support. Same-sex couples receive the same benefits as opposite-sex couples such as claiming tax exemption for a spouse, social security funds for a deceased spouse, and being covered under their spouse’s health insurance. People ought to be cautious as to what they are putting their hard-earned money into. The legalization of same-sex marriage can also take a toll on the family structure. It would not be the most favorable environment for children to be raised in. Children need both a mother and father to have a well-rounded upbringing. Each role has an important impact on a child’s development. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), girls who are raised apart from a father are at a higher risk for teenage pregnancy and sexual activity at an earlier age. Children raised in homes without a mother lack nurturance and emotional stability which constitutes for violent and destructive behavior. Allowing gay marriage would only further shift the purpose of marriage from producing and raising children to adult gratification. It would deprive the future generations of a wholesome upbringing. Despite what many pro marriage equality advocates believe, marriage is not a civil right, but a religious rite. People who say that it is protected in the Constitution are supporting an invalid argument because “ sexual orientation” does not meet any of the criteria shared in the historically protected Civil Rights Act of 1964. The three objectives are: a history of longstanding, widespread discrimination, economic disadvantage, and immutable characteristics. Gay marriage does not fall under any of these stipulations. Society can choose to endorse certain types of sexual arrangements and give support in the form of benefits to these arrangements. Same-sex couples can be recognized as a civil union and can still be supported and celebrated publicly, but would be totally independent of opposite-sex couples and marriage benefits.