Editorial/Blog Assignment -- Original

Zakary Hansen

I find the amount of hatred people still harbor towards each other astonishing. On a dayto-day basis, I continuously find more and more people breaking down others with malicious words and even physical violence without cause. Personally, I don't understand why we still can't treat others as equals. Not very long ago, there was a big movement justifying women's civil rights. Shortly after, there was another movement for African-American's civil rights. With The United States witnessing firsthand two monumental operations before now, both of which demanded equal rights, you'd think people would learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of their ancestors. Instead, people are practically chained to their ways, forbidding those they "don't agree with" to have the rights they deserve. In this day and age, the human race should no longer have to fight for their rights. It's time to give up the war against the LGBT community.

To this day, same-sex sexual activity isnt legal in all 50 states. It has been deemed unconstitutional and cannot legally be enforced, but its not legal to engage in same-sex sexual activity. We've yet to earn the right to the recognition of same-sex unions, same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption, and anti-discrimination laws against sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression. The United States is one of the better countries, however. We have multiple states that have legalized same-sex marriage and much more.] There are many countries that have outlawed all rights to LGBT citizens. Sudan, for example, has outlawed all LGBT rights, but not only that! If a male has been convicted of same-sex sexual activity three times, theyre sentenced to death. The allotted conviction level for females is four times before being sentenced to death. Also, in Sierra Leone, it is illegal for men to conduct in same-sex sexual activitiespunishable by deathbut legal for women. ("LGBT rights by country or territory")

Personally, I dont understand how someone can be so ignorant. They assume that being gay is a choice. And in a sense of the matter, theyre right. It is a choice to be gay, in the sense that it is a choice to provide consent for same-sex activity. However, the gender you instinctually find attractive is not a choice. For arguments sake, lets say every person chooses the gender they instinctually desire. If this was the case, why would anyone choose to be gay? It clearly isnt the most glamorous of lifestyles. Being picked on throughout childhood and even adult life, having a large portion of the world instantly despise you, and even sentenced to death simply for finding your "true happiness" with another is downright ridiculous. Reasons such as these force many people to hide their sexual orientation, avoiding the possible defriending, family line despising them, and possibly even parents disowning you. That, to me, is crazy. Disowning your own child because theyre not straight is unacceptable.

I came up with a metaphor a few years ago and its stuck with me since. Lets say you and your friend of ten years deeply enjoyed the sport football. If said friend told you one day that even though football is still a nice sport and he understands how you could prefer that over another, he

Editorial/Blog Assignment -- Original

Zakary Hansen

personally enjoys soccer more. Would you even consider sentencing him to death over something as insignificant as their sport preference? Now relate this to sexual orientation. In the end, its insignificant. Why should who someone chooses to spend their life with matter in any way? I do, however, understand not wanting to compare the two. Sports and sexual orientation are extremely different, but the purpose of the metaphor is to point out the utter insignificance of the hate towards same-sex orientations.

The Declaration of Independence states "We hold these truths to be evident, that all men are created to be equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." If we are entitled to our own pursuit of happiness, what gives the government the right to prevent us from ever possibly reaching it? I do realize its the pursuit and most may never be truly happy, but finding happiness is far more likely to happen without the government constantly blocking your path. Why does being attracted to a member of the same sex allow them to treat us differently? I thought were all "created to be equal." Shouldnt all laws be equal as well? Were widely known as the "United States of America," but frankly, I see more division than unity. Every state has unique laws, every state treats people differently. If a husband being responsible for every criminal act his wife does while in his presence is illegal in Utah, it should be illegal everywhere. There shouldnt be specific laws that are different in each state you visit. Thats not unity, thats chaos.

I used to argue in favor of not having a same-sex union labeled as a marriage for the sake of religious people who stated that a marriage is for a man and a woman, end of story. However, marriage was originally a legal tie to combine two family fortunes. Many of the marriages were performed as they are today: religious officials, inside churches, etc. However, many of the marriages back in 100AD were two males. There was no record found of any femalefemale marriages, but back in 100AD, very little was written about women. (Gay marriage in the year 100 AD)This information goes to show that arguments about marriage being intended exclusively for a man and a woman to be inaccurate. The records show that marriage was intentionally meant to legally bind two people together. Religion over the years malformed that into a near-strictly religious bond between a man and a woman.

I also used to say that even a union would be considered acceptable until a friend of mine brought up a very good point. Even if we were to be allowed a Civil Union in every state, we would still be a lower class than a standard religious ceremony. If one bond is to be called a union, they all should be. Id be okay if marriages were strictly religious, but only that. If you were to be married, you would not be legally bound to one another. A civil union should be legally binding with no religious ties to it whatsoever. That way, a couple of any gender could be legally bound and later spiritually bound if they desire.

Editorial/Blog Assignment -- Original

Zakary Hansen

The war against LGBT isnt just about marriage, though. If a gay couple were legally tied to one another with a Civil Union done within a legalized state, they would still be denied rights if they were no longer in a state that recognizes same-sex unions. If a partner were to be in an accident and were hospitalized, their significant other could be denied the rights to see their partner. If the hospital is funded with government money, they are, however, required to allow visitation; if that right is denied, the hospital will likely lose their government funding if a lawsuit was placed.

These are a few situations where LGBT citizens are denied their rights and theres many, many more currently being fought for. World peace will never happen if we arent even at peace within our own country.

Its time to give up the war against the LGBT community.

Works Cited

"LGBT rights by country or territory." Wikipedia.org. N.p., 11 Jul 2013. Web. 29 Jul 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_by_country_or_territory

"Gay marriage in the year 100AD." www.io9.com. N.p.. Web. 1 Aug 2013. <http://io9.com/gaymarriage-in-the-year-100-ad-951140108>.