Gay Rights Essay -- essays research papers

Gay Rights Two men are walking down the street very peacefully until they decide to kiss one another right out in the open. Some people look upon this as weird and others look upon it in disgust. Some even get angry about it. Is there a problem with what these men just did? Should they be left alone or reprimanded for what they have done? The issue of gay rights is very cloudy in our great nation. Most of this is due to the problems with the issue, the reasons for controversy, and pros and cons of the issue. First of all, both sides have too many problems with gay rights for there to be a common ground on the issue. The biggest problem I find with the whole thing is the problem is not just fought by words, but also by physical means. There have been countless gay beatings across the United States. One instance took place on November 17, 2001. â€Å"Police said the 42-year-old Vancouver man, whose injuries indicate he was beaten several times with a baseball bat, might have been the victim of a hate crime† (HateWatch.org). Even though the number of hate crimes has gone down, a poll was taken and â€Å"Nearly 4 out of every 10 homosexuals polled said they fear that anti-gay violence will be directed against them personally, and 32 percent said they've been physically attacked because they are homosexual.† (HateWatch.org). On the other hand, being gay goes against the beliefs and values of some Christian churches. As stated in the bible: â€Å"Do you not know that the un righteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God† (Corinthians 6:9-10). Or another passage: â€Å"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13). With gays not backing down and religious people not backing down, this situation will have a difficult time being resolved anytime soon. Secondly there are many issues that do not help the problem at all, thus creating controversy around the situation. The first problem is the issue of gay marriage. All in favor believe that a gay couple should have the right to get marri... ...N. Equality practice : civil unions and the future of gay rights. New York: Routledge, 2002. Gallagher, John. Perfect enemies : the battle between the religious right and the gay Movement. Lanham [Md.]: Madison Books, 2001. Gil, Tony. Personal Interview. 4 Dec. 2002. Harris, Brandon. Personal Interview. 4 Dec. 2002. Kranz, Rachel. Gay Rights. New York: Facts on File, 2000. Minton, Henry L. Departing from deviance : a history of homosexual rights and emancipatory science in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. Nomad. Ex-Gay Nomad. 4 February 2002 < http://members.aol.com/exgaynomad>. Richards, David A. J. Identity and the case for gay rights: race, gender, religion as Analogies. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 1999. Silverman, Bryan. Personal Interview. 4 Dec. 2002. Stein, Arlene. The stranger next door : the story of a small community's battle over sex, faith, and civil rights. Boston: Beacon Press, 2001. Thomas, Laurence. Sexual orientation and human rights. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999 Thompson, Andrea. â€Å"Pediatrics Endorse Gay Adoption.† NBC News and News Services <http://www.msnbc.com/news>.