Over the course of the last twenty to thirty years, it has slowly become more socially acceptable to admit one's homosexuality. Until recently, gays have typically had to hide their sexuality. Today, mainstream television shows, commercials, sports stars, politicians, etc., have facilitated the increased awareness of gays and lesbians. Social acceptance has been the first giant leap for people of this lifestyle. The next logical step for homosexual couples is the "legal union." Legal union would not only mean they are married, but that they would be eligible for the same federal benefits offered to heterosexual couples. .
There has been much debate recently over the issue of whether or not same-sex marriages should be legal, and whether or not a marriage performed in one state, should be acknowledged in another as a legal agreement. This debate has gone so far that there is talk of banning it in the Constitution of the United States of America. Given the importance of this issue, the value of this comprehensive debate may be obvious. Marriage is considered to be much more than a commitment to love one another. Aside from social and religious conventions, marriage entails legally imposed financial responsibility and authorized financial benefits. Marriage instantly provides an automatic legal succession of a deceased spouse's property, monies and pension. Should the law prohibit their request merely because they are of the same gender?.
"Eight years ago, Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage for purposes of federal law as the legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife." These opening remarks to President Bush's open support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages has facilitated support to ban homosexual marriages. Bush wants to stop "activist courts" from changing the definition of the "most enduring human institution" and to end "confusion on an issue that requires clarity ," referring directly to courts in Massachusetts and California, where the courts ruled in favor of a homosexual couple's right to marry.
