Essay on A Basic Human Right

Free A Basic Human Right papers

About The Lighthouse
Writing of the life of Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1927, Virginia Woolf observed that there are some stories which have to be retold by each generation, not that we have anything new to add to them, but because of some queer quality in them which makes them not only Shelley s story but our own. This h

Accepting Responsibility
As a parent with a young child, your main goal is to teach him responsibility. When children are growing up, especially your own children, you only want what is best for them. You want them to make good decisions and the right choices. But as we all know, sometimes that is not always what happens

A Basic Human Right:

Talking about Gay Marriage

You re all sitting there, secure in your rights as an American. But even in the year 2000 gay and lesbian people living in America today are not protected from discrimination and are denied the most basic rights under the law. Today in America, you can be fired from your job simply for being gay or lesbian. No federal law protects people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Despite different opinions about homosexuality, the vast majority of Americans believe that gay and lesbian people should not be singled out for discrimination or denied basic human rights. A fundamental American value holds that every person should have an equal opportunity to a good job, a decent home and a loving family.

Currently, gay and lesbian people are denied the opportunity to share in the rights and responsibilities of marriage in all 50 states.

Making a commitment to a lifelong relationship is a fundamental human need that should not be denied to anyone. Marriage is a basic human right. Adults should be free to make a commitment to the person with whom they wish to spend their life. The government should not interfere in these personal matters. Marriage ought to be a matter of individual personal decision. It is probably the most important personal commitment that two people can make. If two gay people want to get married and take responsibility for each other for better or worse, in sickness and in health, why should anyone else interfere? The decision of whom to marry should be left to individuals not dictated by the government.

In response to the attempts at trying to recognize same sex marriage, the federal government passed the Defense of Marriage Act in September, 1996. This act was written in attempt to permit the federal government and all 50 states to deny recognition of gay marriage performed in any other state. DOMA also permits the federal government to continue denying same-sex couples hundreds of legal rights and responsibilities that come with civil marriage. This is an infringement on a person s OWN RIGHTS. This deprivation of the right...