Marriage Inequality in America Spotlighting Equal Rights...

American nationalism can be described in the foundational terms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; however, these fundamental ideas are impacted across every state when equal rights intersect with the complex issue of marriage rights. Thomas Jefferson once said, â€Å"I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others† (Jefferson, 1900). When approaching the various stances on marriage, civil unions, and equal rights in regards to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community it is fundamentally important to follow Jefferson’s cue and approach the varied perspectives with an open mind. With the average person’s opinion on marriage†¦show more content†¦With this stance they propose that by defining marriage as only legal when it is one man and one woman that basic human rights are being taken away from Americans. Additionally, they argue that this is a direct violation of the Declaration of Independence, which states, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† Where the Republican Party makes a very concise and closed definition of marriage and the Democratic Party pleads for a buffet option; however, with equal rights being such a spotlighted issue there are also stances in the middle of the liberal and conservative arguments. Another largely agreed upon opinion is that the Federal and State governments have no right to define or intervene in marriage and who can and cannot get married because marriage is a religious practice. Following the belief of separation of church and state, those that take this stance have a variety of opinions on how this hot button issue should be handled. Most will say that every definition needs to be thrown out and that for legal or insurance purposes anyone who is married, regardless of orientation, should have their relationship defined as a Civil Union by the government. Additionally, some will even go as far as to say those who areShow MoreRelatedThe Resistance Movement of Queer People of Color Essay2865 Words   |  12 Pagestogether into a single minority category, these individuals actually embrace multiple racial and sexual identities. However, they suffer from oppression for being a part of both the ethnic minority and queer communities. As a result, members are abused, harassed, and deprived of equal civil rights in social and economic conditions (Gossett). In response to the multiple levels of discrimination they face in today’s society, queer people of color have turned to the establishment and active participation