Opinions

Same-sex marriage should be federally legalized

Sarah Oliveras
April 30, 2013

“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.”

One of our country’s most important documents, the Declaration of Independence, clearly states that everyone is created equal. This means that no one is superior over another. The statement includes heterosexuals, homosexuals and people of all skin colors.It also declares that God himself granted all people unalienable rights. These rights include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Let’s highlight the pursuit of happiness and same-sex marriage.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. This did not recognize same-sex marriage, making gay marriage illegal under federal law. Out of 50 states, a whopping 44 states have banned same-sex marriage. Only 11 countries (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden) have legalized same-sex marriage.

The Declaration of Independence clearly states that everyone has the right to be happy, yet same-sex marriage is frowned upon by governments and citizens all over the world due to religious views. Ask yourself this— what if you were gay? What if you wanted to marry but couldn’t because of the Defense of Marriage Act . Being forbidden to marry the person you love is a violation of the right to be happy.

It’s ridiculous that this is even an issue in our society. If two people are in love and want to be together, it should not concern anyone else. People need to mind their own business. Love is love and people should be able to marry whomever they love.

This affects everyone.This also clearly affects homosexuals throughout our school and our community.

Gay service members risk their lives every day to protect our country while they are denied rights and critical protections that come from marriage because of DOMA.

Take the case of Shannon McLaughlin, a major in the Massachusetts National Guard. She has served for over ten years and is married to Casey McLaughlin. McLaughlin works at a bank run by the National Guard. Every April, the married couple dreads filing their taxes. They have had to pay up to over $500 extra because they don’t have the same benefits that heterosexual couples do.

Banning same-sex marriage is a form of discrimination.

There have been several cases in the Supreme Court recently regarding this discrimination. On Wednesday March 26, the court considered the constitutionality of the 1996 DOMA. The results have not been released yet.

One of the many solutions is to take legal action, and to participate in events such as protests and rallies for equal rights for homosexuals. One can also take the more formal route and write to your state representatives in an attempt to persuade them to help rethink the legal rights of same-sex marriage. The simplest solution is to be educated.Know what you are talking about before you form and voice your opinion.

The Defense of Marriage Act, passed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, violates the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, thatall 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.” The Declaration is one of our country’s clearly that everyone is equal and everyone has the right to be happy.

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About the Contributor

Sarah Oliveras, Reporter

Going from a guitar playing, Taylor Swift loving girl, to one day representing and fighting for America’s freedom, Sarah Oliveras, freshman, loves new adventures and giving back. She is inspired by those around her and one day hopes to inspire others as well.

“I think when people are inspired by another, they feel better about themselves and what they do,”Oliveras said. “All I really want to do is help people.”

Oliveras has moved all over the country and even lived in Puerto Rico for two years. From Seattle to Virginia, then to Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and finally Oregon, Oliveras has experienced many different cultures and different ways of life.

“You can walk down the streets of Puerto Rico and hold baby animals,” Oliveras said. “I even learned how to climb bamboo before learning to climb a tree.”

Even though she has traveled all around the world with her family — Heather, her mother, an emergency room nurse, her 12-year old younger brother, Jon, and Robert, her father, who is in the Army as a colonel — Oliveras has always wanted to travel to Japan.

“I want to travel to Japan because I have never been exposed to Asian culture,” Oliveras said. In 20 years Oliveras sees herself in, “some foreign country.” “ I want to travel the world,” she said.

Along with new adventures, Oliveras also likes to try new things. In her free time, she likes to swim and go running. When she hurt her knee three years ago, inspired by her love for Taylor Swift, she decided to pick up her guitar to pass the time. Since then she has enjoyed playing cords and creating her own music. Her favorite thing about playing the guitar is the creativity it brings when writing original songs and music.

One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso, “Everything you imagine is real.” It inspires her to show her creativity, and “think outside the box.”

Oliveras‘s true role model in her life is her father, with whom she is very close. With his work in the army, and his various missions to Iraq helping people all around the world, he inspires Oliveras to give back and appreciate what is given to her. With her dad as her primary inspiration, Oliveras enjoys helping people and various charities. She hopes to inform and inspire people about the dangers of teen suicide and inspire them toward a positive body image. She hopes to do this by letting people know that they are not alone and there are always people to help. Also inspired by her dad, she wishes to attend an Air Force college after high school, and later enter active service.

“I want to join the Air Force because I want to be able to have a say about what goes on in the world,” Oliveras said.

Not only does she look up to her parents but also famous figures such as Helen Keller and Swift.

“I look up to them because they do not complain about the tough situations that they face, they just get through it, ” Oliveras said.

From the diversity of the places she has lived, people she has met along the way, and most importantly with her dad’s influence, these past experiences have shaped Oliveras into the adventure-seeking, caring person, who is always trying to lend a helping hand.