Can America call itself a free country when it denies its gay citizens basic rights?

Marriage is not owned by religion but it was adopted by the religious; therefore, christians/jews/muslims/etc can not dictate who can or can not get married in this secular country. Civil unions (seperate but equal is not equal) is not the same as marriage and it should be an option for those that want it whether they are homosexual or heterosexual, but marriage is a secular institution and should not be exclusive based on prejudice on a religious point of view. Yes, marriage is actually a secular union and everyone has to have a marriage license issued by the government in order to be legally married. If you want to have a religious ceremony or a priest to ordain the marriage, then that is a secondary non-requirement of marriage. The government can not discriminate and pick and choose whom can or can not be married since atheist/agnostics/etc. can also marry without the approval of a priest.

The government can not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc. And for those that believe human rights/gay rights are not civil rights, how do you feel about women that fought for their right to vote? Were women not treated as second class citizens based on prejudice against women just as the Holocaust was based on prejudice of religion? Is it not discrimination to deny some one equal treatment under the law whether they are female/male, black/hispanic/white/asain/etc., jew/muslim/pagan/etc. based on prejudice? Yes each group were discriminated against for different reasons but it is still discrimination just like apples and oranges are different but they are both still a fruit. This also means that civil rights are human rights and vice versa.

Now for the people that want to have a marriage ceremony in a church or another religious institution and the couple are homosexuals, it is up to the church officials if they want to recognize the two or not. There is separation of church and state and if gay marriage were to be legalized I would not protest if the church refused to marry the gay couple. Many times there are lawsuits over this issue, but I will say find a church or religious institution that accepts you instead. There were two instances where a interracial couple was denied to be married in a church in Mississippi, that is discrimination but they have a right to do so. This will not impose on any christians/muslims/jews/etc. that are offended by same-sex marriage/interracial marriage/ interfaith marriage/ etc.

No one can deny gays from getting married. And they have the exact same rights that we all do. Marriage is a religious thing more than anything. They could be together all they want.

Why do you not think homosexuals impose their beliefs on Americans? Why does it seem that Christians seem to be the scapegoats for hate, bias and prejudice; so silly. Look this nation was made great thru Christian men & women; not gay people or liberal unbeliever's. And what is making it so bad is the decline of morality that people just want to wink at and say it 's the 'new normal.'

Wow, hard to believe; Even Iran's Prez called Gays' "Ugly behaviour" stating their country doesn't allow it, & all religions condemn it. One of great Prez. Abe Lincoln said: "Right makes Might" and right does not change with cultures opinions. Time to get back to basics folks.

Hi

America calls itself the land of the free and the home of the brave. BUT those titles belonged to Scotland long before America claimed them. And guess what - they have gay civil partnerships, and the law is (thankfully) being changed to allow religious gay marriage too.

Hopefully the US will catch up soon.

;-)

Yes it can , because , calling one self gay does not make your choice of sexual activity with the same sex an ethnic group. gay is not a race of people. A race of people reproduce , unless a medical condition interfers with the natural process of reproduction. Realistically 2 individuals of the same sex can not have relations that result in the conception of a baby between themselves. It takes contribution of opposite sexes to reproduce. No matter how much they want their sexual preference to be a racial group like white , black , latino , german, etc. they will never be . As individuals they have the same rights as others that don't have sex with same sex. Or act like the sex choice is better than someone else's . This country was founded on marriage as being between a man and a woman , only.God allows people a choice , good choices reap like rewards , immoral choices will have like rewards. same sex unions are immoral and un natural. Basically those without a physical condition are able to reproduce their species, 2 men alone can not reproduce, without outside assistance or without outside help with medical help, same with women. So if you can't reproduce you don't populate . So lets put gay minded men and women on separate islands, no coed , and after 100 yrs we will see if there is any left alive , because their won't be any babies born on either place.So go back in your closet, I don't want to know what kind of sex you practice , especially if its with animals.

i agree, to a point.

yes the government regulating marriage is bad. (just like you said)

so why do we want it to give the go ahead?

why is it big brothers business who i marry and why does he have to know?

that includes state govs..

get the Government out of everyone's rights.

(paraphrased):

the two greatest enemies of the people are criminals and the government, so let us tie down the second with the chains of the constitution so it does not become the legalized version of the first

~ Thomas Jefferson

I think its all about the concept, the tradition, and in some groups the religious definition of marriage that so many feel they have the right to infringe upon. I would have no problem with another word for the union of two individuals. But I believe "marriage" is reserved for the relationship between man and a woman. Nothing wrong with calling it a progressive union.

Well said! I have asked for years for someone to give me one legal, non-religious reason why a gay couple cannot go to City Hall and get a legal marrige license, no one has ever been able to do that.

We cannot and must not base laws in this country on religious doctrine, and that is the only reason that gay couples are not allow to marry and it is wrong.

Classical Athens was called free and only male citizens could vote.

Hi, I am Paul. There. Now you know someone that is gay.

I know a lot of gay white that are raciest. They voted for Obama for a couple of reasons, but one was because of white guilt. They had to prove they were not bigots because it is unpopular. The other reasons are gay marriage and women's rights. The funny thing is most of them hate women and do not want them in their bars. They degrade them calling them c*nts and fish. But male gay guilt causes them to support abortion and no wonder since many of them can not stand kids.

I appreciate you standing up for gay rights but really you have no clue and it sounds like gay guilt. I do not need you standing up for me. It is unpopular to bash gays but it is not unpopular to bash Christians. It is a double standard to say "They should not impose their religious beliefs on the entire society". It is not ok to bash one group to praise another. Everyone has their right to their opinion and beliefs popular or not.

I am technically bi but also a Christian, and a republican. I see all sides. Gay men hate me, Christians disagree with me, independents can not stand me. Yes, Christians have views about being gay. Yes, Christians have a view that being gay is wrong. I understand why they do. They feel being gay is wrong. The majority do not hate gays. They love them and feel they will not be saved if they continue their lifestyle. Right or wrong it is about caring about their soul not about hate. But that is not the sole reason they do not want gay marriage and that has nothing to do with gay rights.

The constitution does not give anyone the right to marry. The Idea of marriage come from religion. It is an institution created by religion-they do it in obedience to God. Secular people did not come up with the idea of marriage. For years seculars never got married. The government got involved in religion; taxing them and forcing them to register marriage to be recognized by the government. It is government controlling religion. So who is the one that imposed on who? The exchange for allowing this infringement by government on religion was to allow tax breaks.

Wow said the secular world. Lets get married so we can participate in that. In the 60's and 70's flower power and free love said to hell with it all. We do not want government poking their nose in our bedroom or religion telling us to marry or go to hell. So they stopped getting married. Now gays have the same Wow. We can have tax breaks. Do gays believe in Christianity or the Bible? No, most do not. They want nothing to do with the belief that they will go to hell if they do not marry let along the belief they can not be gay. We do not believe the Bible but we accept the Biblical belief of marriage? It is a double standard.

Marriage to a Christian is sacred. It is unpopular to go on Indian's sacred ground because we are not Indians and agree we have no right to impose on that but it is ok to impose on sacred beliefs of Christians and tell them gays should be allowed to marry. The term for marriage is a union between a man and a woman. It is their term, they created it, and they practice it as a religious right. It does not mean all honor it but that is beside the point.

If gay men want to be united let them make up their own institution and name it something other than marriage. Have the government allow them to get tax breaks. But I know more than straight people. Gays are a mixed crowed of their own with their own language, likes and dislikes. Drag queens, fags-flamers, transsexual, transgender, twinks, gear-men; leather, rubber, spandex, neoprene. Some are into S&M, B&D-Master, Daddy, Sir/slave, boy, subordinate, puppy and more.

We do not all get along or like each other. Most gay men believe in polygamy or at the least an open relationship. Many of them do not stay together longer than 1 day to 7 months. There are no easy laws to make that taxable especially when they can not get along long enough to stay together. Most gay men do not understand what divorce does to a person. I do. They think drama happens from loosing a boyfriend just wait till they are divorcing?

To ask Christians not to impose their beliefs on gays then we also need to ask gays not to impose their desires on Christians. Have gay unity but do not use the term marriage to describe it. Gays have no rights to impose on religion and make them change their beliefs just so they can have a tax break.