David Wu

03.11.15
526
States Renew Fight to Stop Same- Sex Marriage written by Richard Fausset and Alan
Blinder inform that even though the Supreme Court is held responsible for the integration
legalizing same- sex marriage, Republican state legislators have introduced bills that would
prohibit state or local government employees from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. To
further cause dispute among the employees, bills have been issued to also cut the salaries of
employees who issued the licenses. In addition, the chief justice of the State Supreme Court
supports Alabamas same- sex marriage ban by citing Thomas Jefferson and the Bible because,
nothing in the United States Constitution grants the federal government the authority to redefine
the institution of marriage. Similarly, Senator Lee Bright, a South Caroline Republican who
opposes same sex marriage, is a sponsor of the bill to allow the state government employees to
refrain from issuing marriage licenses on religious grounds. Despite the augment of state bills
that prohibit marriage license to gay couples, the bills are also known to be unconstitutional as
well; therefore, even if the bills were to be passed on, it would be rebuked by judges who support
same sex marriage. However, there are a large number of Americans who remain opposed due to
their religion and have approved of amendments that define marriage as solely between a woman
and a man. It has even been proven that the voters still held strong to their beliefs even when the
federal rulings overturned state bans. The extent of same- sex marriage controversy has also led
six magistrate judges to quit their jobs as a result of a federal judge that approved same sex
marriage in North Carolina.
In regards to the younger generation and the LGBTQ community, the increasing rival of
states that ban same- sex marriage is quite overwhelming. However, it is greatly plausible that
the younger generation will disprove to the ban on gay marriage. Considering that after
dismissing Prop 8, same- sex marriage is allowed to continue in California, it seems that the
whole same- sex movement has reached a plateau because states have begun to create these
unnecessary and undermining bills that restrict employees from issuing licenses. The younger
generation of this day and age are exposed to new social norms and are generally more accepting
of homosexuality and the LGBTQ community. With these bills being passed to halt the spread of
same- sex marriage, the people are more likely to rebel against them. In a way, these bills can
motivate the LGBTQ groups to petition against them as well. People who are impartial to this
subject may be more inclined to support the LGBTQ because of their extreme efforts to legalize
same- sex marriage and dissipate equality. There are also negative impacts stemming from these
bills because employees who are supportive to same= sex marriage may have their salary cut if
they do not comply with refraining from issuing marriage licenses. It is also unacceptable to
Republicans to take advantage of employees belief and religion such as using their religious
grounds as an excuse to not allow the issuing of licenses as well.

Fausset, Richard, and Alan Blinder. "States Renew Fight to Stop Same-Sex Marriage."
The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.