Same Sex Marriage: Whose Values Does It Go Against?

People do many things in the name of tradition. Here in America we may eat hot dogs at a baseball game, present a diamond ring when asking someone for their hand in marriage and then spend months worth of our salaries on the wedding ceremony and reception night. These traditions, although not necessary, have become a part of the way we live and they are not detrimental to society. Some traditions are more harmful than others are. When does a tradition become harmful to society as a whole? One example of this is our attempt to set some public policies based on tradition, such as not allowing homosexual couples to marry because it clashes with the traditional vow between a man and a woman. Homosexual marriage in America and sexual "cleansing" traditions in Africa are two examples of traditions that are logical fallacies that can be harmful to the betterment of society.

A logical fallacy is an incorrect conclusion derived from faulty reasoning.

When you look at the argument over homosexual marriage, in America, you can clearly see the two sides of the debate. One side is fighting for homosexual rights with the claim that not allowing homosexuals to marry is discrimination and unconstitutional. The other side is claiming that homosexual marriage is not natural and goes against traditional values. When people claim that marriage between two members of the same sex in unnatural my question to them is; why? Do they have any proof that homosexuality is not natural? It occurs in all societies and is even present in animal behavior so why is it not natural?

People also claim that the marriage of two homosexual people would go against our societies moral traditions. That may be true but my question is; why can't traditions change? Slavery was once a tradition in this country. We realized that it was wrong so we changed it. Doctors, at one time, did not wash their hands as often. We discovered germs and how they spread from person to person. Doctors than began to take these findings in to consideration and changed the cleanliness of their practices. We should do the same for gay marriage. We should be willing to look at the matter and change our traditions based on reasonable findings.

The fourteenth amendment states: " No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privilege or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law..."

People who are homosexuals are also citizens of the United States. Denying them the right to marriage, which is granted to anyone else, is clearly a violation of their fourteenth amendment right. A person who claims that homosexual marriage would go against nature or tradition is simply stating an excuse for not wanting to adapt to a situation that they are personally uncomfortable with. That does not give them the right to mandate changes in rights that are given to everyone regardless of what their sexual orientation may be. Their argument is based on tradition and logical fallacy and can not be proven.

Sexual "cleansing", in Africa, is also a great example of a societal tradition that is based on logical fallacy and is currently contributing to the spread of aids, not to mention that it is a human rights violation against women.

When a woman's' husband dies it is a tradition for her to have a sexual relationship with a male member of her husbands' family. This is a tradition that is said to "cleanse" the woman, prevent her from going crazy and also to help her husbands' spirit move on.

Many women in Africa are afraid of practicing this tradition, for good reason, due to the wide spread of Aids. Many women will try to avoid doing this out of fear of contracting the Aids virus and leaving their children with no mother. If they do not abide by the tradition they risk being left with nothing and will have to fend for themselves. The male relative of her deceased husband has the right to cast her away.

Either way they are out of luck. If they decide to adhere to the tradition of sexual cleansing they may have to have a sexual relationship with someone they do not feel comfortable with and also risk the chance of contracting a deadly virus.

This tradition is a violation of the woman's' rights as well as a danger to society as a whole with it's contribution to the already, sweeping spread of aids.

The tradition of sexual cleansing is a tradition based on logical fallacy that has vast menacing effects on society.

Traditions are beliefs, ethics and a way to connect to ones roots. When do our beliefs get in the way of other people's rights? When do our ethics become harmful? With some education and a willing to understand different people in our societies we are capable of changing and evolving traditions for the betterment of everyone. Traditions are never set in stone, even if one would like to believe that they are.