Local News: Gay Marriage Debated on Campus

Defining Marriage
By: Matt Woolbright

From the Texas A&M University Battalion

The debate for same-sex marriages focused in California where more instances have taken place in recent years. The California Supreme Court decided in May that same-sex marriages were legal unions. But after the issue came as part of Proposition 8 in the November ballot, it amended the constitution.

Same-sex marriage was banned by voters in California, Florida and Arizona on Nov. 4 through constitutional amendments and legalized by the Supreme Court in Connecticut a week later.

The debate has been focused in California, where more same-sex marriages have happened in recent years. The California Supreme Court decided in May that same-sex marriages were legal unions. The matter came up for a vote on the November ballot with Proposition 8, which would amend the constitution to clarify that marriage was "between one man and one woman."

Allowing same-sex marriages would mean that polygamist marriages must also be legal under the same banner of equality, said Chris Russo, a freshman aerospace engineering major who believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

"If you allow marriage to be defined as anything other than the traditional definition of one man and one woman, it opens it up to any definition," said Russo, research director for the Young Conservatives of Texas. "It's a matter of escalation and it's a morality issue that's trying to divide the nuclear family and will create financial problems of having to divide funds between a couple and a family of [one husband and six wives]."

Sophomore finance major Matt Krob said he believes in the traditional definition of marriage, but for a different reason.

"I think [banning same-sex marriage] is the right thing because marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman," Krob said. "I believe that marriage is said to be between a man and a woman according to God and [same-sex marriage] is against what the Bible says."

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sympathizers viewed this change differently.

"The passage of Proposition 8 effectively removes fundamental rights from citizens of a country that was founded on freedom, justice and equality," said Lowell Kane, program coordinator of the GLBT Resource Center.
"It's disappointing to know the fundamental rights of Americans have been removed," said senior psychology major Vanessa Delgado, president of GLBTA. "Especially in a state where we've seen a lot more progression."

Scott Bowen, club relation's officer of YCT, said there is no bias in Proposition 8.

"Gay people and straight people have the same law applied to them," said Bowen, a freshman chemical engineering major. "Straight men can't marry other straight men either, it never specifies 'gays' so it's not discrimination."

Kane said that same-sex couples are being denied thousands of rights granted to heterosexual couples.

"GLBT people are not seeking 'special rights' as some have claimed," Kane said. "They are seeking equal rights and recognition of their relationships."

Freshman biochemistry major Nicole Carroll said the decision is wrong and that same-sex couples are being denied rights.

"I'm not gay, but being a homosexual simply describes your sexual preference," Carroll said. "They should still have the same rights as heterosexual people."

Some of the rights Kane mentioned include: The right to make decisions on a partner's behalf in a medical emergency, and the right to assume parenting rights and responsibilities when children are brought into a family through birth, adoption, surrogacy or other means.

"This issue is of the utmost importance to the community because without recognition, GLBT couples are denied over 1,000 rights and protections under the law that the heterosexual community receives instantly upon marriage," Kane said.

Published on Friday, November 14, 2008