In an article titled, “I've Been Divorced Four Times, But Homosexuals Are the Ones Destroying Marriage,” published in February of 2014, blogger Matt Walsh intends to move anyone who advocates for “traditional marriage” to focus their attention on preventing divorce instead of opposing gay marriage. The title is mocking the hypocrisy of some “traditional marriage” advocates who are serial divorcee supposedly doing everything they can to preserve the sanctity of marriage. The author believes in what is commonly called “traditional marriage,” though the term is considered a historically misleading term by some. Steve Chapman declares in the Chicago Tribune,“What conservatives regard as traditional marriage is not very traditional at all. It's radically different from what prevailed a century or two centuries ago.” Opponents of “traditional marriage” are not concerned with threats to the institution like Walsh is. In the Huffington Post, Carina Kolodny says that equality for gay marriage will, “fundamentally destroy 'traditional marriage,' and I, for one, will dance on its grave.” Other advocates for “traditional marriage” might also argue that the greatest threat to marriage is no-fault divorce laws or pre-marital cohabitation, and yes, gay marriage. Walsh's target audience is limited to conservative Christians; his appeals to God, the holiness of marriage, and church practices are only effective supporting material for this intended audience.
Walsh does not explain his definition of marriage, and only uses the term “traditional marriage” once in the piece. Readers of his conservative Christian blog likely have the same beliefs and definition of marriage so he does not need to explain it to them. To Walsh and his readers, “tradition...
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...nce that divorce is by far a greater threat to marriage than gay-marriage. The debate about what marriage is and what is recognized as marriage is a debate which effects practically everyone in a very personal way. How advocates on either side make their arguments will play an a crucial role in determining which side wins the marriage debate in the end.
Works Cited
Chapman, Steve. “The Myth of 'Traditional Marriage'” Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company, 9 February
2014. Web. 27 February 2014.
Kolodny, Carina. “Marriage Equality Is Destroying 'Traditional Marriage,' and Why That's a Good
Thing (An Open Letter)” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 20 February 2014. Web. 27 February 2014.
Walsh, Matt. “I've Been Divorced Four Times, But Homosexuals Are the Ones Destroying Marriage”
TheMattWalshBlog. TheMattWalshBlog, February 4, 2014. Web. 27 February 2014.
In his article “Sacred Rite or Civil Right?” Howard Moody tackles the controversial issue of the definition of marriage and inclusion of same-sex marriage into that definition. The real issue that takes center stage is the not so clear separation between the church and the state. Moody, an ordained Baptist minister, shares his belief that it’s only a matter of time that civil law is once again redefined and homosexual marriage is recognized just as much as heterosexual marriage. The gay marriage debate he suggests isn’t focused on the relationship between such couples and is more about how to define such unions as a “marriage”. (353)
Abstract On June 26, 2015 a divided Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples could now marry nationwide. At the time of the split ruling there were 9 supreme court justices, 5 of the justices were Republicans, and the remaining 4 were Democrats. In high profile cases it is except that the justices will vote along party lines. When the 5-4 ruling was reveled by the following statement. “It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right (Corn,2015).” written by
Stephanie Coontz, author of The Evolution of Matrimony: The Changing Social Context of Marriage, writes that there has been more changes in marriage in the past 30 years then there was in the 3,000 years earlier. With these changes there are no religious or cultural exclusions. Coontz claims, “Right here is America’s Bible belt exist some of the highest rates of divorce and unwed motherhood in the country, and born again Christians d...
In the essay “Why The M Word Matters To Me” by Andrew Sullivan, he states “This isn’t about gay marriage. It’s about marriage. It’s about family. It’s about love” (159). A student’s response to this statement made by Sullivan prompted him to claim that Sullivan was not speaking about marriage itself - as a concept, more rather weddings in particular within his essay. I fully agree with this student’s response and as a result, I shall be thoroughly analyzing the validity of his claim outright.
In the article, “More Equal than Others,” Rebecca Solnit describes the point of view of the conservatives about the same-sex marriage which they see as a threat for the traditional marriage. She also give the reader a little bit of history behind the laws of the traditional marriage, in which she quotes William Blackstone, a British judge, “By marriage the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the women is suspended during the marriage, or at least is
This essay explores further changes that may lie ahead as same-sex marriage debates increasingly affect both family law and the convivial construal’s of marriage. Marriage as an institution has transmuted most dramatically because of the cumulative effects of the last half century of de-gendering family law. Same-sex marriage and perhaps even more so, the highly visible cultural debate over it is contributing to this process.
Marriage is the legal or formally recognized union of a man and a woman, or two people or the same sex as partners in a relationship. Marriage rates in the United States have changed drastically since the last 90’s and early 2000 years (Cherlin 2004). Marital decline perspective and marital resilience perspective are the two primary perspectives and which we believe are the results from the decline. The marital decline perspective is the view that the American culture has become increasingly individualistic and preoccupied with personal happiness (Amato, 2004). The change in attitudes has changed the meaning of marriage as a whole, from a formal institution
Gay marriage is a hotly debated issue in today's society. Andrew Sullivan and William Bennett offer opposing views in the June 3, 1996 edition of Newsweek. Sullivan's article, “Let Gays Marry,” offers several arguments supporting the issues of same sex marriage. Bennett counters in his article, “Leave Marriage Alone,” that same sex marriages would be damaging to the sanctity of marriage. Each author presents several reasons for the positions they defend and bring up valid points to defend their opinions. William Bennett and Andrew Sullivan share a mutual respect for the values and sacredness of the bond of marriage. Their disagreements stem from who they believe should be allowed to marry.
A debate is raging in America about who people have a right to marry. In response to lesbians and gays asking for the right to marry, many legislators are writing laws to ban same-sex marriage in their respective states. Even President Bush supports a Constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage (prez.bush.marriage/). Opponents of such legislation do not want discrimination passed into law and are protesting at every opportunity. One must understand the reasons that people want to ban same-sex marriage before he or she can effectively argue about the subject. Many advocates of same-sex marriage bans say that allowing gays and lesbians to marry would degrade the institution of marriage because marriage is only supposed to exist between a man and woman. In addition, allowing same-sex marriage would cause problems for society (Issues and Controversies on File). One theory why opponents may fight against same-sex marriages is that heterosexual marriages have long reinforced traditional gender roles within marriage and that allowing same-sex marriages would cause males to lose their authority to subordinate females as heterosexual couples begin to model same-sex marriage gender equality (Calhoun 157).
“Being gay is much more profound than simply a sexual relationship; being gay is part of that person’s core identity, and goes right to the very center of his being. It’s like being black in s society of whites, or a blonde European in a nation of black Asians” (Tamara L. Roleff). Although marriage, cohabitation and parenting styles of homosexual families pose no threats to the heterosexual society; many still believe same-sex marriage goes against its true purpose. “At the national level, American public opinion on the issue remains split (44 percent support legalizing same-sex marriage; 53 percent oppose same-sex marriage in a May 2010 Gallup Poll) even as opposition toward legalizing same-sex marriage is at its lowest point in decades (Jones, 2010)” (Amy B. Becker). Also to one’s surprise, among the vast amount of psychological disorders, homosexuality is not one. Homosexuals are just as capable of sustaining stable and successful relationships and families just as heterosexuals.
James Dobson, a famous evangelist, talks about the prior supreme court decision to legalize gay marriage. Before the announcement that that the supreme court did legalize gay marriage -- there was an uproar from evangelicals like James Dobson who said “gay marriage will undermine the family,” and that “it will further divide our country up.” In this video, Dobson asks the question “ how are parents supposed to teach their children about what the bible says in this issue [ marriage and the definition of it ] and then go on to a school bus and be taught something different by their elders?” Dobson describes gay marriage as “ the death knell of religious liberty in the United States.” Throughout this video, Dobson uses his opinion based on his religion to make the assertions he is
The United States is a country built on a number of ideals and institutions. The moral structure of many Americans today was developed by our ancestors and the founders of this nation through the institutions that were a part of their lives. Family, religion, marriage, equality, and justice are just a few examples of the important components that provide a moral basis for our country. If any of these elements were to become too mutated, the effects on society could be devastating. Right now in the United States, one of these building blocks of society is being threatened by the possibility of a negative transformation. The building block of marriage as the sacred joining of one man and one woman is under attack and is at risk of being destroyed. People in favor of gay marriage want to change marriage to the joining of two people of either sex, which goes against what the purpose of marriage has been and why it is important to society and religion. People who are in opposition to same-sex marriage are eagerly expressing their opinions with religious and cultural reasons that show how this change could impact our society forever.
Schiffren, Lisa. “Gay Marriage, an Oxymoron.” Read, Reason, Write. By Dorothy U. Seyler. Ed. Emily Barrosse. 8th ed. New York: McGraw, 2008. 579-58. Print.
In the article, “Against Gay Marriage,” author William Bennett asserts that permitting same-sex marriages would result in extensive social damage. He states that marriage serves as the cornerstone of societal structure. He envisions that societal indifference on marriages will leave future generations in a state of identity confusion. Representing a different perspective, the article “American Marriage in Transition,” composed by Andrew J. Cherlin suggests that as the practical necessity of marriage diminishes, its symbolic importance may be increasing. He asserts that marriage evolution has arisen alongside many social issues pertaining to expression of personal choice. He connects the expanding role of individualism
Marriage is an institution that has always been considered sacrosanct in societies around the world; however, recent trends and statistics indicate that the importance of having a sound and lasting marriage has declined in recent years. The divorce rate in America is currently 50% of all marriages; this means that for every two couples wed, one of those couples will end up separated. (CITATION) The current state of marriage as exemplified in Didion’s essay “Marrying Absurd” and evident in modern society is a direct result of cultural values towards marriage, religious beliefs in relation to marriage, and the ideas today’s society has towards marriage. (CITATION) Such issues, along with financial issues and infidelity, are what cause such high divorce rates in America.