Thread: Does the Constitution grant equal rights to everyone, including homosexuals?

After discussing this question in class today, I thought it might be a great topic to debate here.

Are homosexuals granted equal rights?

In my opinion it is implicitly given however, it is on the border of Locknerizing so I am voting no, but there needs to be.

My reasoning is this:

By denying equal rights to homosexuals it is against the fundamental nature of equality that America was founded upon.

Equal rights is defined as the ability to have the same privileges that heterosexual couples enjoy such as spousal privilege which simply states that a husband or wife do not have to discuss in a court of law what goes on between them in their marriage or the contents of private conversations. In addition, benefits such as medical or dental can be shared by members of a family, or if one spouse dies, the other still receives those benefits. Or filing joint tax returns and other privileges not mentioned. Homosexuals do not have any of these privileges. Now I am not necessarily saying that the definition of marriage should be changed, however they (homosexuals) should still at least be granted the same privileges granted to heterosexual couples.

This is a POLITICAL debate questioning the fundamental rights of members of this society. Religious arguments have no place in this discussion because there is a separation of Church and State. The State should not interfere with Religion, nor should Religion mettle in the affairs of State. Let me say this again. RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTS HAVE NO PLACE IN THIS DISCUSSION. If you decide to bring Religion into this thread to dictate the rights given by the government then you allow for ALL PARTS OF YOUR reasoning to be subsequently picked apart and systematically destroyed. And yes this means Religion too.

How say you?

imo this is what pisses me off the most, (so much i would love to say but ill keep my cool)

America teaches history to its children in hopes we learn from our mistakes:

Slavery, we separated out a group of people, denied them rights. The exact same thing we did to women, and here WE ARE AGAIN DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN!

FFS when marking out a distinct group of people in society and denying them any rights that other individuals of society have IS AGAINST what was said in the Declaration of Independence (equal men, equal rights)

I believe this applies to the current situation:

Originally Posted by Reasoning behind why Gay marriage is wrong

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

I encourage anyone to give me a logical reason why gay marriage is wrong if you cant and your still against it your a bigot.

whats a honosexual?

The Constitution doesnt grant jack or shit.

The Constitution only enumerates rights we have just by being alive. Rights are rights are rights no matter where you dip your wick.

Originally Posted by Gr4verunner

whats a honosexual?

you mean a homosexual?

It is someone who is attracted to the same sex i.e. gay

Homosexuals should have all the same rights as anyone else, saying they shouldn't is saying they aren't a person. All this bullshit with banning gay marriage is absurd, even if it did promote people to be gay, who are we to say that is wrong? It may be un-natural, but so are c-sections and the vast majority of modern medicine.

Originally Posted by Mcstrange

The Constitution doesnt grant jack or shit.

The Constitution only enumerates rights we have just by being alive. Rights are rights are rights no matter where you dip your wick.

I agree, I think it's time for religion to be separated from the government in cases of equality. I know there is a separation of church and state already but I think if a man and a woman can get married then so can man and a man if they want to, legally of course. The church gets to decide wether they can be married in the church, but if they can't get married in the church then it should end there. If you think the sanctity of you mariage is being violated think of it this way: If tyhey aren't married in the church then their marriage is different than yours "in the eyes of god" so be equal and leave them alone you selfish pricks

Originally Posted by Potemkine

Originally Posted by Gr4verunner

whats a honosexual?

you mean a homosexual?

It is someone who is attracted to the same sex i.e. gay

th poll said honosexual it seems my attempt to make a funny went un-appreciated

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.