KarMel Scholarship 2007

“Proposed Amendment 28”

By Angela Lanctot

Desciption of Submission: Angela Lanctot's argument for gay marriage and the proposed Amendment 28

Proposed Amendment 28 – Equal Marriage Rights -

“The United States Government is not able to discriminate against any person regarding the right to marriage. Beginning February 1, 2007 all persons are entitled to have a legal marriage, rights and benefits in the United States of America despite their race, gender, age, and sexual orientation.

Argument for Amendment 28

Standing on the Bible – Most all protestors of gay marriage are standing on the bible to state their unreasonable argument. One must recognize that the bible does not provide a solid statement regarding homosexuality. For example, the story of Sodom is not an act of homosexual behavior but rather a Rape of heterosexual violence upon strangers in a village. Sodomy was an act of humiliation by treating men “like women”. The next substantial reference is that of the Law of Leviticus. Leviticus 18:22 states that a man shall not lie with a man as a woman and Leviticus 20:13 adds that if a man does lie with a man, both of them should be executed. What society, politicians, and especially Christians, should acknowledge is that they cannot pick and choose which sections of the bible they are going to obey. If one person chooses to condemn a homosexual and refuse him the rights to marriage then they must also execute him to follow the law of the bible. It is also common knowledge that Leviticus Law is not respected today and was abolished with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Clearly we regard certain rules, especially in the Old Testament, as no longer binding. The New Testament law is the law that Christians are to abide per Jesus, and to reference the Leviticus Law is hypocritical. If America’s society insists on referencing the Old Testament, then people should live by it fully, however, if Christ is the end of the Leviticus Law then we should respect that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality as a sin! Jesus demonstrated love and encouraged every person to do the same. Where is the love in discrimination? Is it an expression of love to refuse a gay couple the right to publicly commit their lives to each other? Is there love in denying a couple the rights to have health benefits or the power of attorney over their partner? This is not love and it is a disgrace to Jesus’ teaching if a person declares that the Bible dictates a human’s rights in today’s culture.

Birth vs. Choice - To say that Homosexuality is a choice is a matter of opinion and has not been scientifically proven. However, if it is a choice or if a person is born homosexual is certainly not the decision of a Church, Government, or the Public. All people should be entitled to the same rights as every other citizen of the United States despite their sexual orientation. To deny equal rights to a gay person is immoral, insensitive, and unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Movement – One hundred fifty years ago it was a challenge as to whether slaves should be freed based on the scripture. In the same way that churches, political figures and citizens challenged the freedom of slaves, we are facing the same outlandish battle with homosexuality and equal rights. Slavery has been prohibited in the United States and amended in the Constitution although the bible blatantly endorses slavery. People have pointed towards a couple of scriptures and stated opinions debating the “immoral” behavior of gay lifestyles, however they have not provided a rational argument that justifies the denial of marital rights to homosexuals.

What does the Constitution Say? –

Article 4: Section 1- Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and Judicial proceedings of every other state, And the Congress may be general laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved and the effect therof.

Clause 1: The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several states.

Article 14: Section 1 – All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein the reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.

The constitution clearly states that if one state approves a law then all states must approve the law. We must put an end to the hypocrisy, find sensitivity as a society and vote that all citizens deserve equal rights under our revered constitution!

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