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One of the most basic rights Americans have fought for is the right to choose. Americans have the right to vote, the right to free speech, and the right to choose who they want to spend their lives with. In the new millennium, it is time to put away old ways of thinking, it is time to keep in mind how our laws are effecting the same-sex couples of this country. Americans have separation of church and state, and they say that all are created equal. When is the government going to act upon it? It is the time to make sure same-sex couples have the same benefits and basic legal rights of all Americans and that the civil rights that are already in effect are being remembered when laws are being set. There are a couple of aspects showing that same sex marriage should be legal. These aspects include, gay couples not recieving propper benefits and care, being held back by unjust laws, and society being opposed to gay marriage for religious or moral reasons. **(The thesis is good, but the following sentences are a bit confusing. The listed items don't show that same-sex should be legal; rather, they really just list the current situation.)**

Many people argue that allowing same-sex marriage would open the door to fraud. Some think people would get married to a friend just to allow them to receive health or other legal benefits. This already does happen. Many Man/ woman relationships are based on this very instance. If you are willing to make that kind of commitment, then you deserve the benefits. According to Buddybuddy.com Demian of the Partners task Force for Gays & Lesbian couples "Most Compelling Reasons for Legal Marriage", "more than 60 percent of gay men and lesbians are in a relationship"(Demian). One might ask “Why their commitment is any less valid than anyone else’s?” Demian talks about many situations where basic benefits that are offered to married couples are denied to same-sex couples. It is unfair because they are legally unable to make the decision to marry. Demian says that there are more than 1,138 Federal laws that relate to marriage (Demian). We have these laws so that when something happens to us we can count on the person who knows us best to make the decisions that we would want them to make for us. Many times, our family doesn't know the intimate details that our spouses know about us. When someone commits to spending their life with one person, these are the basic things they should expect. However, same-sex couples are denied this basic right because of a piece of paper they are not able to receive. Demian discusses the financial burden that comes along with these ridiculous laws: Block Quote- In one fee- usually about $35- a legal marriage license replaces the expense of drawing wills, powers of attorney, custody, and relationship agreements, which can run in the thousands of dollars. Adding to the expense is the fact that these documents need to be updated every few years. Along with the hoops gay couples are expected to leap through, their well being is neglected by our laws.
 * (Before going into your discussion, give some background information on the current status of your topic. Remember, you want to write for the audience, so don't assume they know everything.)**

From the same web site, Partners Task Force "Why Marriage Matters" Kate Kendall tells of many situations where if someones partner was injured or killed, a same-sex partner would receive none of the benefits a wife or husband would be entitled too. Kate tells of one situation where a lesbian couple had been raising a family together. The birth mother of the boys was a stay at home parent and the other woman was the financial provider for their family. Even though they had wills set in place when Lana the bread winner, was in a car accident and had been killed, Ann and their boys did not receive the Social Security Survivors Benefit that they would be entitled to if they had been allowed to make their family legal. The amount is over $2,000/ month (Kendall 2). That is just not the way America is supposed to work. Americans should ALL have the right to choose for themselves, no matter who they want to choose. In addition to the neglect of these vital truths of laws against homoseuals, it is found that states differ on laws prohibitting same-sex marriages as well.
 * (This section is lacking a clear argumentative topic sentence. The central theme seems to be this is an American's right, but there's no clear evidence, or research, stating and supporting this.)**

__Rachael__ After reading the overview of the National Conference of State Legislatures I have found that many of our states do have a definition as to what “Marriage” is. Only six states have no provision prohibiting same-sex marriage. The Supreme Judicial Court has decided that segregating same-sex unions from opposite-sex unions cannot possibly be held rationally to advance or preserve the governmental aim of encouraging stable adult relationships for the good of the individual and of the community, especially its children. To me that sounds that as long as the couple is a law abiding and pro-community couple that there should be no “segregation” as to whether it is an opposite-sex or same-sex relationship. According to Demian, interracial marriage was illegal in 13 U.S. states until 1967. At some point we must have realized that it was wrong not to allow people to choose their own partner, and justfully so. What makes same sex marriage different? **(This is the seed of a good argument, but it needs a lot of development. For example, what about including what the current definition is for support? Also, what's the counteragument to this? And for the language used, it's written in an informal format and sounds more like a spoken than a written piece.)** __Lindsay__ Looking through “Gay Marriage:The Arguments and the Motives” written by Scott Bidstrup, on the website **(You only need two pieces on introductory information-the website isn't needed.)** www.bidstrup.com/marriage.htm, I saw that so many people are afraid of gay marriages being legal. Many oppose gay marriage because of personal preference or because it’s what they’ve been taught their whole life. People can’t seem to put themselves in the shoes of the gay community and think of how they would feel if someone told them it was repulsive to be straight and wouldn not allow them to marry someone of the opposite sex. The argument that gay marriage is against the Bible and therefore must be a sin, is not accurate. For one thing, the separation of church and state is the main point standing in the way of that statement because people have made such a big deal about praying in schools so it isn’t permitted anymore. So, how can religion have anything to do with homosexuals and the laws allowing them to get married? People who are atheists are allowed to be married, so it couldn’t be claimed that marriage is under God and is a religious tradition, because it really isn’t if you look at it that way. Not only are the morals in religion used against homosexuals, but it goes farther, to Bible passages.

Society thinks that sodomy is immoral and wrong to allow. (**Keep the "I" voice out of argumentative papers, and instead, present them from an objective stance.)** However, I learned reading from the website [|www.whosoever.org/bible], by whosoever ministries, that Sodom was a Biblical town and the people who lived there were called sodomites. It was a town full of sinners and chaos. On the contrary, the Bible doesn’t actually say that sodomy was the act of "gay sex". People have taken religion and twisted it to make homosexuals feel bad for the way they are. Again, religion should be separated from state and should have no effect on this matter anyway. (whosoever ministries) In the website [|www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/688], ministry of Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, it is said by strict Christians that marriage is to be between a man and woman only because it is a union of the two to serve God together and to procreate. In reality, people get married everyday that are not Christians and no one minds. People also get married at any age, for example after a spouse passes away and the widow is seventy years old. The widow re-marries and the new couple is not planning to procreate anymore, so why should they be able to marry? Also, sterile couples, wouldn’t be allowed to marry either if these circumstances really held ground because it isn’t possible for them to get pregnant, yet they are still allowed to be married. So really the objection to gay marriage can’t stand its ground. (D’Ambrosio) (**Check the book for the correct in-text citation format. Also, the argument for this point isn't clearly stated-it's kind of buried in the details, so you're lacking a clear topic sentence.)**

When it all boils down, you have stripped away all personal feelings and all you are left with is the law. When you look at our laws, they say we are equal. They say we have seperation of church and state. However, the reality of our laws contradicts what Americans pride themselves for beleiving. People are treated unfairly and they are punished for being different. When is someone going to stand up for what the constitution says is right? It is time for society to realize that this is America and we must allow all people who are doing good things for our country be who they are, without punishment. The word America means something important, it symbolizes freedom and equality. We must offer same sex couples the right to marry, the right to benefits, and the right to be who they are without legal degridation. **(This paragraph is very vague, and it doesn't summarize all arugments. The particular topic of this essay is only mentioned in the last sentence.)**

Bibliography (**Works Cited)**

Chellew-Hodge, Candace. "The Bible and Homosexuality." __Whosoever Magazine__. Whosoever Ministries,Inc. 2 Nov.-Dec. 2007 .

D'ambrosio, Marcellino. "Legal Recognition for Homosexual Unions-CDF the Vatican on Gay Marriage." __The Crossroads Initiative__. A Ministry of Crossroads Productions, Inc. 3 Dec.-Jan. 2007 [|.]

Bidstrup, Scott. "Gay Marriage: the Arguments and the Motives." Copyright © 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004 by Scott Bidstrup. 2 Dec.-Jan. 2007 .

Demian. "Most Compelling Reasons for Legal Marriage." 15 Mar. 07. Partners Task Force. 26 Oct.-Nov. 07 .

endell, Kate. "Partners Task Force." Why Marriage Matters. 02 Mar. 07. 26 Oct.-Nov. 07 .