Proposition: Gay People Should Be Allowed to Get Married in the United States

Opening Statement: (Affirmative) In the United States of America, the constitution is held in high regard. It's the foundation of our government. Laws in the United States are judged on rather they are constitutional or not. This is for a reason. The constitution is there to ensure equality to those who are outnumbered and discriminated against. Gay marriage should be allowed in the United States of America because it is unconstitutional to discriminate against a specific group of people.

Opening Statement: (Negative) One can argue that marriage is the foundation of the family. Marriage between a man and woman keep the house hold stable. Marriage, as is, promotes what is natural. People of the same sex should not be allowed to marry one another because it disturbs the social structure of the United States. Marriage is a sacred union meant to be shared between a man and a woman.

Rebuttal: (Negative) Yes, your right when you say the constitution is held in high regard. Laws in this country should be constitutional. But who is to say that banning gay marriage isn't constitutional. The constitution is very vague; therefore when someone says that banning gay marriage is "Unconstitutional", they can easily be proven wrong. There are also moral obligations that our involved with protecting the sanctity of marriage.( Hypatia, 2007)

Rebuttal: (Affirmative) According to J. Harvie Wilkinson III, a highly regarded conservative judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, rewriting states constitutions in favor of heterosexual marriage, endangers "the first principles of American law". He argues that the Constitution is not to be interpreted in a way in which the rights of individuals are restricted. (Commonweal, 2006)

Questions for the Negative:

1. What do you say to homosexuals who want the same economic benefits that are offered to traditional married couple?

2. When Addressing issues such as "family" and "kinship, aren't their many ways of interpreting these issues? (Signs, 1993)

3. Is there only one good, healthy family model, or can there be several different family models that can be beneficial to all members of the family, including the children?

(Contemporary Sociology, 2006)

Questions for the Affirmative:

1. Many Americans make political decisions based on morals and ethics, so shouldn't the people who they elect represent those values? (Hypatia, 2007)

2. Those who are pro- gay marriage claim that morals values shouldn't play a factor in rather or not homosexual marriage is legalized, but isn't the belief in equality a value? (Hypatia, 2007)

3. If marriage has religious origins, why cant faith be a factor in deciding rather or not it is legal? (Hypatia, 2007)

Lewin, Ellen. "Lesbian and Gay Kinship: Kath Weston." 18(1993) 974-979. 7/16/07

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Grindstaff, Laura. "The facts Will Not Set You Free." Contemporary

Sociology 35(2006) 341. 7/16/07 .

Denike, Margaret. "Religion, Rights, and relationships: The Dream of relational Equality." Hypatia

22(2007) 71-92. 7/16/07 .

Polikoff, Nancy. "We Will Get What We Ask for: Why Legalizing Gay and Lesbian Marriage Will Not

"Dismantle the Legal Structure of Gender in Every Marriage" ." Virginia Law Review 79(1993) 1535-1550). 15 July, 2007 .

Anonymous, "Winner Takes All." Commonweal 133Nov 17, 2006. 5. 15 July, 2007

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Macionis, John J. Sociology. 11th ed. Saddle River: Nancy Roberts, 2007. 338-493.