posted by Sam Richards
I’m curious about what you all think of this. The problems of not recognizing same-sex marriage/unions are far ranging and leave deep wounds on many families….and “the children.”
18
Feb
I’m curious about what you all think of this. The problems of not recognizing same-sex marriage/unions are far ranging and leave deep wounds on many families….and “the children.”
After watching this video, I feel very offended. I believed that same sex families have no right to be treated differently. I did not occur to me that this happens to same sex families. Any family in the United States has the right to live together and regardless if it is the same sex or not. Their sexual orientation should not have anything to do with their rights as a citizen. I do not understand why it is any different to treat families like Jay’s and Shirley’s; that is why this bill should be passed. It is funny how the United States would rather have single parent family than have a normal double parented family that are the same sex. I believe that same sex marriages should be allowed in all fifty states and also same sex couples should have all equal rights as any other citizen. Eventually, same sex marriages will be accepted and it would not be as dramatic as it seems. I do not understand why people have to be so judgmental. I believe that it does not matter who a specific person marries; they are all human beings who wants different things in life. Everyone should stop being so stubborn and actually accept it. I feel like just because people like the same sex does not mean that they are so different that they should be secluded or singled out. I only judge people by their personalities; if they have a good heart and have real life goals, I would give them a lot of respect and credit. I believe that judging by their personalities is really the only way to know who they really are as a person. Judging by sexual orientation alone does not give that much insight of who they are. People should not feel that they have the right to oppose others about who they should marry. They do not have the right to tell others who they should marry. What matters most is that they should be happy who they are going to spend their rest of their lives with. If people do not allow LGBT people to marry other LGBT people, it will not stop them to love together, live with each other, and live in the lifestyle that they are in right now. Eventually the United States will catch up with the rest of the world and finally accept same sex marriages. I believe that LGBT people are not going to stop fighting till they get their equal rights. It is basically accepted in many parts of the world. If LGBT people really wanted to go somewhere else to get married, they will do that. Basically to wrap this up, just because majority of the United States opposed to same sex marriages, that does not mean that the LGBT people are going to stop trying. They want to be treated the same and they are determined to have their voices heard and get their rights.
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I’m kind of confused on this one. Whose children are the twin boys? Were they adopted or from a previous male partner? To be perfectly honest I am a little uncomfortable watching that family. They seem like nice enough people, but the more masculine woman, the one who is a U.S. citizen, seems strange to me. At first glance, I thought she was a man, but then she started to speak and she definitely had a woman’s voice. I guess I’m just not used to gay couples. I feel like it would have been really different if my brother and I were raised by a pair of lesbian women.
Anyway, what happened to that family was really unfortunate. Having your mom ripped out of bed, handcuffed, and thrown in a van would be terrifying for the kids. Because of it, they will probably grow up with a grudge against the government. My question is, though, why hadn’t she obtained citizenship? They knew they couldn’t marry and make her a citizen that way, so she should have made herself legal. It’s definitely a flawed system though. I don’t like the fact that an American can marry a foreign person and they automatically become legal citizens. It facilitates a lot of immigration under false pretenses. Lonely guys with money import and marry poor women from the other side of the world all the time. It’s a bit of a sham. So, I don’t think that the best solution is just giving gay and lesbian couples the exact same rights as heterosexual couples currently have. Maybe there are some rights that married couples have that they shouldn’t. The other thing I was thinking was how many couples in the United States are in that situation? How many lesbian couples with kids are facing possible deportation? It’s such a small percentage of people who have problems like this that it’s probably not worth it to change a bunch of laws because of it.
On the subject of gay and lesbian couples who have children, I don’t really have a problem with it, as long as they are good, supportive parents. I don’t personally know any gay couples with kids, so I can’t say if they are worse, as good, or better than heterosexual parents, but I would imagine that children who are brought up in a family like that would be taught to be very tolerant, which is a good thing.
Here’s something that I’ve been wondering for a long time. Is there a biological purpose for having homosexual individuals in a species? Is it a mechanism to curb the population? All species are made to reproduce, so homosexuality, if it is genetic, seems like a genetic mistake, a mutation. I know it sounds bad, but a lifestyle that doesn’t produce offspring is a bad idea from a biological standpoint.
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Whenever the topic of gay marriage comes up, it brings such questions to my head. It is such a difficult situation to determine whether or not it is okay. But who is to say that it is not okay to be with the one you love. Many people who do not have any resolution to this issue often resort to the bible as a way of defense. Since we do not have all of the right answers, many people just use the bible as a defense by saying that the bible does not say it is okay, so they will just say it is not okay. But the problem with that is that they are so many different interpretations of the bible. Each individual believe that their own interpretation is the interpretation that everyone should believe in. It is such a complicated subject. Throughout my many years of living, I would always hear that the bible speaks against homosexuality. I also recall a time when I was home watching The Tyra Banks Show and how she had a segment about homosexuality. She had a guest family speak on their behalf of their own views. It was so ridiculous to watch how rude and disrespect they were, while talking about sexuality. They had so much hatred in their words and in their emotions. They pulled out their bible and shouted out scriptures, claiming that those scriptures spoke out against homosexuality. But, just the other day in my English class, my teacher had my class read this article about a well-known guy who stated that people have the wrong interpretation of the bible. He noted that the bible does not speak against homosexuality. He provided scriptures that proves his statements. He also said that back in those days, words of the time period meant something completely different and that is why we are interpreting everything wrong. So now I am so confused as to “what does the bible really say?” And since this is such a big issue, I have decided that I will not use the bible to answer my questions. I will just have to base my answer on reality. Reality is, if two people love each other with all of their hearts, then they should be together, and if they have matrimony in their future, let them get married. You cannot force a human to stay heterosexual. If a man feels that he is more attracted to a man than opposed to a woman, then why force him to be with a woman he has no desires for? This society has no right, whatsoever, to make judgments about anyone and call gay people a sinner because, at the end of the day, we are sinners ourselves and ONLY God has the power to judge us.
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This is incredibly disheartening that this kind of treatment is happening around our country, and given the time period in which we as students are learning about it at penn state, it makes the issue that much worse. This weekend there are people standing for 46 hours straight, dancers who won’t stop dancing, and alumni and charities that won’t stop giving for to the cause of pediatric cancer research. As human beings, we are programmed to care, and when it comes to issues like this, we show that. But how can we not care about families strictly because they are gay. How is it that we can justify separating them based on that fact alone?
After Tuesday’s lecture, it had me seriously thinking about why is it that we are suppose to be attracted to the opposite sex, is that in fact something that is natural or more conditioned. I sat here wondering what if we lived in a world where everything was backwards. Most people will find that they have a lot more in common with that of the same sex, not to mention the level of sexual behavior and feeling will also be at the same level as well for that of the same sex. So if this is the case, would it be possible that if someone showed up year one and said that men were better with other men and women were better off with other women than that would be what everyone was ultimately trying to achieve. What if we saw reproduction as more of a duty than something out of love and creating families?
With that question came the answer to why we are attracted to members of the opposite sex though, or at least came my answer. Because if it was not for that attraction, you wouldn’t be able to build a family, you’d build an other. You wouldn’t be able to share a creation with another human being but more of look over someone’s duty as a citizen. This is my answer, maybe it was conditioned, but it feels natural to me to not only want that, but want it with someone of the opposite sex, cause opposites attract. To others this isn’t the case, and I don’t understand why the government puts so much effort on trying to normalize everyone by forcing the issue. Let people be who they are.
Speaking of letting people be, there was another point brought up during lecture that really had me thinking as well. You mentioned how hermaphrodites at birth would have one sexual organ removed, and sometimes not even the parents know. It made me wonder if maybe we were working against the grounds of evolution. If maybe over time we were suppose to develop to contain both sexual organs, but with our conditioning we are told that you are only suppose to be one or the other. Personally I feel like this is a really interesting topic that sparks so many questions as to why we live in the world we live in.
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I never really thought about this part of the problem and how denying marriage between same sexes could cause this kind of issue. This issue here is about gay marriage, not about illegal immigration or citizenship. Whether you agree with or disagree with marriage as a form of granting citizenship does not really matter because it is the law. Watching Shirley, her partner, and sons I saw a loving normal family. The United States was willing to break up a happy family, separating partners from partners and children from parents. I see more harm in this than any harm they were causing living together and raising a family together. I mean what is more important here, really? Wouldn't living with one parent or experiencing the deportation of your mom be more detrimental than living with the two caring parents?
So let's state the obvious, if they could get married than Shirley would be exempt from deportation. They live like a married couple, love like a married couple, and have children like a married couple. What great big difference does it make to recognize this and give her the same rights to citizenship by marriage. Maybe there could even be a way to get your green card without the title if you live in such circumstances. Maybe that is a little off. But come on, if Shirley was dating a male she would be allowed to stay?? What sense does that make?? I do not see the difference. At this point, I think maybe God really does need to be taken out of the gay marriage equation. Without getting into my personal religious beliefs, I just want to know how after watching a video like that, an anecdote of one family amongst many others, how one can bring in God. If God is anything, isn't he love?!? Many argue it is against their morals, but I don't get why the way someone else lives their life affects your personal beliefs or morals. How can granting basic rights to loving couples affect your "journey" or what is internally "right" to you?
And yeah the video left out a lot and was a little mushy but that was not the point. the point is just to raise an issue. Just to bring about the question of "Have you ever thought that gay marriage could affect some people in this way?" or "Do you the array of issues denying gay marriage can create?" It is just another reason why gay marriage matters. And maybe it does not matter to you but it matters to some, many actually. And maybe by seeing it from different angles or perspectives some can come to realize why gay marriage or legal recognition of a union between two males or two females should be allowed.
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I personally don’t think that it is right to tear a family apart just because of a same sex partnership. People need to realize that by deporting people back to countries or whatever isn’t really solving anything or making anything better. It is just causing more animosity and people need to just butt out of other people’s lives. Personally I am against calling same sex union’s marriages because I am religious and I don’t just say that I am a Christian, I follow and read the bible. I personally do not have a problem with people that are gay or that want to live their lives with somebody of the same sex but I do not think that they should call it a marriage. However calling it a marriage or a union is one thing, but tearing a family apart and deporting them just because they are of the same sex is outrageous. However if they are really that worried about it then maybe they should go to another state that legalizes gay marriages and try and get one. Then they won’t have such a problem or at least less of a problem when it comes to immigration problems. There is always some kind of solution for a problem that we have. I’m sorry but if you want to live in America then you have to go by our laws and rules, even if it doesn’t make you the happiest all the time.
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I think that the deportation of the woman was extreme but none the less it does not surprise me. I believe that the United states will one day allow same sex marriages but currently it seems as though that may be a long time from now. It is ridiculous to think that U.S. citizens in todays day and age can have their same sex immigrant partner deported based soley upon their sexual orientation. It almost feels like it can be called sexist. It is extremely tramatic for the kids to have to go through. For them having their two moms is normal and for their home government to split them apart doesn’t seem fair. I do believe that one day the U.S. will allow same sex marriages. Currently there are more than a handful of modern westernized countries that allow same sex partnerships. LGBTs are here to stay and they aren’t really going anywhere, especially not because they aren’t ‘legally’ allowed to be with each other. Whether the U.S. passes a bill or not for gay marriage, LGBTs are still going to be with whoever they want to be with and live whatever life style they choose to live. People need to realize that even though the law may say it is illegal to have that kind of a partnership, the fact is that we live in 2010. That means that regardless of what happens in this country, LGBTs who really want to have that partnership in a society that can handle it will move to places around the world where it is not looked down upon or looked upon so differently. I think that one of the few ways which people use to oppose same sex marriage is religion. Without religion in the picture more then half if not all of the people who oppose it would disappear. It’s a bit of bullshit to think that you have a right to tell people who and who they cant be with based upon who you believe. Who the hell do you think you are, and second what if they don’t believe the same thing? Then what. Religion shouldn’t have as much influence as it does in this countries politics. But this is America and it is what we are known for. The bottom line is that everybody doesn’t believe in the same religion, so what you believe may not be what other people believe, obviously. That being said it does not really give you a right to judge what other people do based upon your religion. You could judge them based upon the religion they follow right? That makes sense because they follow their religion and probably respect it a lot more then whatever you follow.
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Before reading this article, I never knew that being an LBGT could affect becoming an American citizen. It is hard enough as it is for an immigrant to earn citizenship, but also to be an LBGT or even be in a same sex marriage must make it a whole lot harder. People who are against same sex marriage do not think about the people that are actually in the same sex marriage. They act as though that they are different and they have no feelings. By watching this video, it really shows what they have to go through. They should just have normal lives like people in straight marriages do. They are not harming anyone by being married. The only ones that get hurt are the people in the same sex marriages. They deserve to be married just like anybody else does. They can't help not to be the person they are.
My friend show me this one article that everyone should look at. It really shows you what LGBT people have to go through. It is a letter written by a mother whose son is gay. She writes about how he could not have the same childhood that other children just because he was different. How other people judge him and he was looked at differently. He had to build up the courage just to tell his family that he is gay. The mother also mentions how the government and the state are against homosexuality to protect families, but by doing that it harming the families that do have a homosexual family member. If you want to read more it is http://www.andrewtobias.com/newcolumns/000504.htm...
When we look at it, the people and the states that are against LBGT people, should listen to their stories. Take the one here, for example. The mother was taken out of their home and by doing that it hurt the children. The family would be fine if everyone would just leave them alone. It was so sad to see the ony boy crying because of what happen. They are a regular American family just like everyone else. What happen to America about being the home of the free. How can it be home of the free if LBGT people do not have the freedom to express their rights. Everyone has to realize this is always going to be an issue and why don't we just accept it, instead of making it a bigger problem. Many people are taught this is wrong and it might be harder for them to accept it, but if everyone allows themselves to see it from their point of view then maybe, just maybe we can start the end of being prejudice.
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I think that its more a problem of society not being completely accepting of homosexual unions that raises the problem of homosexual couples adopting children. Since some people don't accept homosexuals, they criticize them, and I think that this will trickle down to the children. Since children don't only understand the things that their parents teach them, there are going to be a lot of terrible comments made towards the children of the homosexual couples. I don't think that the children of the homosexual couples would inherently be confused, since the parents could do a good job of explaining the situation, but a lot of people just aren't tolerant towards gay people, and therefore the other children in school react to that and it puts the child in a defensive position. Teasing on the playground can have a bad psychological effect on the children. I think that children of homosexual couples will have a lot less lasting effects emotionally if their parents aren't married than a child of two heterosexual parents who aren't married.
The reason that I think this is because, as Sam said, homosexuals can't have "accidental" children. Heterosexual couples who have children then don't get married tend to have emotional/psychological effects because they feel almost unwanted. This would seem to be avoided with homosexual children because they know that they are wanted, and their family environment should be more nuturing. So I don't really see this being a problem unless the parents act differently knowing that they can't get married. In summation, I don't think that homosexuals not being able to get married effecting their children unless they let it affect themselves.
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It is ridiculous that the gay couples do not have the same rights as straight people by now. This video puts the whole issue in to perspective for those who oppose gay rights. The children are able to live normal lives while having same sex parents and they are deeply saddened by the fact that their one mother might be deported. Is it really worth splitting up a family because you do not think that gay couples deserve to be considered married and get the same rights as married folk? The government should realize that the children who are being raised by gay parents are in a much better situation than they would be in a foster home. As Richards pointed out in class, it is a long and hard process for gay couples to go through to be able to adopt children and if they have that kind of tenacity, then it proves that they are dedicated to trying to be parents. They have to continue to be good parents because if they do not do a good job then they will have to give up their kids. With that kind of pressure, you would think that gay couples would do everything possible to be good parents and it is better for children to have loving parents then to be raised in a foster home or orphanage.
I can understand the fact that people do not like that the word marriage would be used to describe the gay couple because it is written in the bible that people should not do that. That is one issue that the gay community should be a little flexible with. I think they should allow it to be called something else, like a union, but it should have the same rights that a married, straight couple does. Gay couples are still people and they deserve to be treated like it, especially in America. Some straight parents may not like that their children might see that kind of behavior, but you cannot hide your kids from it forever. America is becoming more and more diverse with different races and sexualities and people have to learn to be accepting of it or else they will have a hard time growing up in the upcoming years.
The United States has done many great things for human rights over the years. Blacks and women have been able to overcome their adversity and get their rights, and I think the gays will be able to change the way people think in the upcoming years. Hopefully they will be able to find a way to get their point across very soon so that situations like this do not happen to other families.
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This video was very surprising. I was unaware of these immigration laws that are pulling families just like these apart. Laws should not have the ability to break up a happy home with no problems or issues that need to be handled this way. One of the purposes of immigration is to have a better life in a different country and be able to live the way that these people are choosing to live. These people are no different than any other American citizen. I was also astonished by the high statistics of families that are being torn apart due to immigration laws. People need to start reconsidering their ways if they are choosing to be against gay marriage. Hopefully overtime people will begin to sensitize to such people and give them a chance to live their lives.
Also, the fact that these two women had been raising two young boys and also being able to lead a stable home is very sad. It is disheartening to know that people will excuse a family’s way of life just because they believe that same-sex marriage is not okay. In order to stop such things from happening, people need to start writing to representatives of the senate and congress to spread the knowledge of this issue. Our country is starting to develop into a pro gay marriage society in some states and people need to look at this and follow in their footsteps of law. Not too long ago were black people patronized for their color. This was a problem so people decided that they needed to fix it and create laws that will help this racial group succeed in their life goals. They finally got the rights that an average American had and were able to lead a life of freedom. Why can’t this be true and happen for the gay society? Once knowledge is spread and people begin to have an understanding on this issue will the problems gays are facing diminish. They won’t feel as if they can’t live their lives and people will be more at union with one another. My older sister’s husband’s brother faces the issues that these women are experiencing. Although he is not married yet, he will face the problems that gays pursuing marriage are facing today. I do not want to see him go through the same problems that people are facing today in the future. Hopefully by the time that he will begin to pursue a marriage, laws will be changed and people will be more respectful. It all begins with people taking a stand and once this occurs our nation will breathe a little easier and will be looked upon as in even more united.
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This is quite nerving. This is a situation where you have to flip the script and put yourself in their shoes to truly understand. Whether you are pro gay marriage/lifestyle or against, the situation at hand must at least bother you somehow. I mean these people trying to live a normal life while fighting the fact that majority of the nation don’t approve of their lifestyle and now because of it they also have to fight being separated from their families (those who are alien to the U.S.). From the start, what’s the big problem of allowing these people to get married? I mean it’s not like once they get married these people are going to start rampaging the heterosexual couples. They don’t mess with us, so why mess with them. In a huge retrospective view, what if the world was reversed and homosexuality was the norm and heterosexuality was outcast. Wouldn’t those of you who give these people a hard time feel the same way these people are feeling now? That’s just the general view but now specifically the topic of gay marriage. Last time I remembered marriage was decided by the church. Another key thing is that I thought the state and the church were separate. So why is it that when getting married we must get a license issued and signed by the state? I think that’s a major contradiction on the governments’ part. But hey, since when isn’t the government a big contradiction? So because of this contradiction and our nation’s strict rules on citizenship its forcing families in these current situations to suffer and be afraid of what might happen next. Our nation is one of free expression. Upon further analysis of this our government has the right to censor or restrict our expression when it feels that it is threatening the security or stability of itself, meaning the individual state governments or nation as a whole. So in a larger sense the state government must view the expression of homosexuality by means of marriage as a threat to the nation or the individual states. What threat can be seen? The fear of resolving fights with hugging? This is where stereotyping probably comes into play. Hey look at that, yet another contradiction; this nation isn’t as “free” as it seems. With the issue of citizenship, as more and more states slowly accept gay marriage it still seems as a façade. For within the state their marriage is accepted but as a nation there still lies a problem for that rules, when applying citizenship and marriage do not apply to them. This is a load of crap if you ask me. As a person, you shouldn’t have to see things selectively but as they are. If that would be the case you would be able to feel some compassion for these families who have to struggle in our society. For if the same was happening to you, you too would want a change in your favor. So why not help these people out? Oh yea I forgot it’s because they’re homosexual.
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I have never really understood why a gay marriage was such a big deal. I mean ok so two people are in love and for some reason it seems like everyone is trying to do whatever it is they can to keep them from being happy together. People are who they are…you can’t and won’t change a gay person so why keep trying? Why is so much attention placed on whose straight and who isn’t?
Additionally I believe that gay marriages should receive full benefits. They work and pay their dues so why shouldn’t they receive the benefits? In the kind of world we live in today it is sad that we are always looking at ourselves as being this amazing nation? What kind of nation hates its people who are homosexuals? I just really don’t understand why it’s anybody’s business whether or not someone is gay! It’s their life they aren’t affecting you so let them be!
I have a friend that not too long ago came out and his mom actually got to the point where she would offer to pay him to go see a therapist. He was really religious which I thought was a little ironic considering his religion did not accept his sexuality. However, he still followed his religion. He once told me that he had already seen 5 pastors and yet his mother begged him to go see therapists. I understand the whole religious thing but like why is it taken to this extent? His mom refuses to accept him for what he is and I think a large part of him can’t be happy because he hasn’t fully come out. I know he struggles with his sexuality and I think this is a perfect example where being gay shouldn’t matter. He is who he is and his sexuality doesn’t make him a bad person so who cares what he’s into?
I also don’t understand why there is just so much that keeps gay couples from adopting kids. I mean there are a ton of kids that could use a home instead of crack through the system and end up on the streets. So if in fact gay couples would help society why are there so many obstacles keeping them from actually adopting kids in need. Ok so I understand the argument that people claim saying it will increase homosexuality. No. It has been proven that having gay parents has no effect on the children. I mean doesn’t everyone just want someone to love them? So who cares if you have two moms or two dads…so be it. They love you and that’s all that should matter. There’s no legit reason as to why gays are discriminated against. They are people who deserve to be taken into consideration and be treated as human beings. And those who object to letting gays adopt children…why? It’s not like you’re planning on adopting those same exact kids. If they can provide for those kids then let them be!
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Immigration is sticky enough of an issue without taking into account these issues. These are two separate issues that need to be resolved independently. It is a very unfortunate consequence that there is so much cultural inertia and stubbornness in our society that neither will get resolved in any timely fashion in the near future. There is so much resistance to both of these issues that it is likely many more cases like this will be suffered by unfortunate families.
The first issue is immigration. People do not like the idea of new people coming into their country for a variety of reasons. I am reluctant to completely blame cultural ignorance fear and racism as the root of an issue but I do honestly feel that is a large factor. People see other people's culture in their their hometown and are excluded from it, and feel threatened. People seem to have a hardwired cultural phobia and these families are the ones paying the consequences.
The other is gay lesbian and trans gender rights. Again peoples dislike of a type of person or lifestyle is effecting policy decisions and hugely and adversely effecting many people's lives. Religious objections to gay marriages are just results of institutionalized bigotry. People are uncomfortable with people different from them and they are now unnecessarily trying to prevent their happiness.
And now, these people are having their lives destroyed. That lady is losing her lover but more importantly those children are losing their mother. Well, one of their mothers but still having two parents taking care of them is extremely important. There are unnecessary difficulties in all of their lives now. Peoples immaturity are costing people their wellbeing. People are being denied their right to happiness because of a bigoted system of immigration and gay rights.
We are not allowed to discriminate based on color gender creed race or religion. Why is is not acceptable to be bigoted towards homosexuals? How can we stand here as a society and accept this as our status qwo? This is an embarrassment to our culture that is based on freedom. The same people who preach american values and wave the flags and support the troops are themselves destroying the lives of their countrymen. A fellow american is in love with a foreigner, and they have a family. So why can't they both stay in the country and live their lives and contribute to society here? Why do we want them to leave? Why do we want to destroy a family? Do we want those kids raised by a single parent? What is wrong with people? If people were truly american they would celebrate our country's cultural diversity and accept this family with open arms into our society.
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I’m tired of hearing people’s sappy bullshit stories. Shit happens. She wasn’t an American citizen? Omg! Well they wanted to deport her because she was gay. Or maybe it was because she wasn’t an American citizen. It happens to tons of people regardless of their sexual orientation. The government tears families apart all the time. This is just dumb. I’m tired of hearing these crap stories. I don’t need all these people trying to get sympathy from me because sympathy is for the pathetic. Can we all please stop crying over other people’s problems and start dealing with our own problems?
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This video deeply saddened me. Here are two loving, capable people who want to raise their children. Why are these individuals being attacked when there are abused, abandoned children living all across the United State? This issue seems like it should be address more in the public forum. I have thought a lot about LGBT issues and immigration issues but never considered the two together. This issue is never brought into the public spotlight and I think it obviously needs to be covered more by the mass media. Only then will the public pressure cause the government to make the necessary changes.
In order to rectify situations like these two political debates must be resolved: gay marriage and immigration. First, I believe that gay marriage should be legalized. Any two, consenting, loving adults should be titled to the privileges and rights that come with marriage. Second, any immigrant that has an established life in the United States, whether through work or family, should be entitled citizenship and granted amnesty, especially in cases like these. It is clear that Jay and Shirley were positively contributing to American society. All immigrants with established life, positively contributing to society should never be question on their status as citizens. I think deporting immigrants has a negative impact on society. In order to have a more cultured society, we need to constantly bring in new ideas and new people. The children should be thought of first and the pain and distraught caused by the government’s mindless actions was evident in the video. There are too many families ripped apart by divorce, why rip apart a loving family? What kind of message is that sending to the children? Many people involved in the marriage debate focus their argument on the sanctity of marriage. In my opinion, marriage is when two people love each other, and tearing happy, loving families apart is just the opposite of the sanctity of marriage. The United States should support any marriage, regardless of sexual orientation or ethnicity.
While this video pointed out the problem of LGBT immigration flaws, several questions were brought to mind that could affect cases like these. I am very interested to know if one of the mothers is the biological mother, if they adopted, if Shirley is their biological mother or if Jay is the biological mother. If Shirley is the biological mother why does she not have the legal right to stay in the United States? If they adopted, how did they successfully pass this rigorous procedure? Did the agency know that one mother was not a citizen? If Jay is the biological mother, does Shirley have custody rights? I think I could understand this issue better if these questions were answered.
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This is probably one of the saddest things I’ve seen in a while. I had no idea that discrimination of same sex couples went this far. It upsets me to see that people could actually tear apart a family over idiotic beliefs such that a man and a man or a woman and a woman shouldn’t be together. Before seeing this video my standpoint was something to the tune that same sex couples should have the same rights as a marriage, but it just shouldn’t be called a marriage. Even after Tuesday’s class I really started to think—maybe, there should be no line; love is love… and two people of the same sex should be able to call their commitment to one another a marriage. Our country is based on the idea of equality, but what is equality when we can sit back and let something so upsetting happen. I mean really… if I was in the same situation, and someone tried to take me away from my significant other, all hell would break loose and I’m sure that is the case for many Americans, so why do that to someone else? It makes no sense why anyone should be treated so unfairly based on their sexual orientation and why so many people seem to be so insensitive to gay rights especially after the civil rights movement; shouldn’t everything just be equal for everyone? Corporate America seems to be headed in the right direction, so why can’t the government step up and take responsibility for what’s really right. What really gets me about this video is the fact that the children are pretty much just living life in fear that any day someone could just come take their mom away. This especially makes me upset; it’s so sad and I really can’t imagine life without my mother there when I needed her. They’re so young and the government is just stepping in and ripping apart their family. I really think this is crossing the line, I mean it’s one thing to not grant same sex marriages, but ripping apart a family seems a bit extreme. There are so many criminals out there running around, who should be deported, but the government is making a mission to tear apart innocent families and for what, a piece of mind? It is utterly disgusting what they are doing and I really don’t see how their only defense if that only a man and a woman should be married. All in all, I know that we are probably a ways from total equality across all races, gender, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation, but what lawmakers really need to consider is their complete and total hypocrisy. If this country is based on freedom and equality, it should be so and nothing less.
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This family’s plight is heart wrenching because of how easily it could be remedied. People need to get over their issues with same sex marriage. It is sad that we are supposed to be this great independent nation that calls itself the “land of the free” and yet there is still persecution. The settlers came here to escape religious persecution and it’s the same story now except the topic has shifted to sexual discrimination. We should handle this the same way that religious discrimination was handled in that every person is entitled to his or her own beliefs and lifestyle. Why do we learn history, if we are to repeat the past? Must people go elsewhere, such as Canada or wherever, just to live with the one they love? Who are government officials to tell us how to live our lives, when it is in no way harming other individuals? To me, this is like saying one cannot wear blue on Mondays, because it makes others uncomfortable. There is no functional value of preventing gay marriage. How long will it take for our nation to understand this? Some feel it is “unnatural” or goes against values. Whose values, the values of the Catholic Church, maybe? We have strict policies, as far as I was informed, keeping state separate from church in this country. So I am curious as to what it is that is keeping from becoming legalized.
Legalization of gay marriage will prevent the separation of many families just like the one in the video. It is a horrible tragedy that they are allowing these families to be torn apart over an intolerance of an alternate lifestyle. The couple has been together for 23 years and because it cannot be recognized by the state that they are, in fact, devoted life partners (with children!) they will have to part indefinitely. It brings me to something else I find upsetting. Being legally “married” is all about being on record for people who do not matter to you. You can be devoted to someone and not have a piece of paper that “proves” it. This may seem a silly example, but think of Goldie Hawn Kurt Russell. They have 5 children together, and are easily one of the longest lasting marriages in Hollywood today.
Who is this deportation helping? There are people who get married to immigrants to stay in the country, and are not in love in any way, shape, or form. So to have someone deported when they truly are in love with someone, and have a family with them, but are being prevented from getting married, is quite asinine. The whole issue just really gets me to my core because one could go on and on with examples of its tragic existence (this intolerance) in the United States but it all boils down to one simple fact: there is no reason not to have it legalized in every state, and yet it is not.
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This video sparked such an interest to learn more about how this happens in the United States. It is SO sad to see this happen to such a loving and caring family. It is completely obvious how much this family cares for one another and they seem like such a normal family. You can tell how much the kids love both of their parents, regardless of them being the same sex. Before watching this video, it did not even cross my mind that this happens in the united states. I do not understand how these officers can literally pick up and handcuff a mother in front of her children. It would be such a horrifying experience for anyone, gay or straight.
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Personally, I think it is disgusting that people cannot accept gay couples and marriages. How would you feel if you were told you could not have a formal wedding with the person you loved. It is completely unfair. I understand that religion says it is forbidden and a sin, but those same people who are soooooo religious have no problem going out and getting drunk on a Friday or Saturday night. What is classified under in religion? Oh yeah, a sin, on the exact same list as being gay. The fact that the country interfered as much as to deport one of the moms is unbelievable. It is honestly completely bull. It just does not make any sense to me.
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In my opinion gay couples probably would be the best parents around. They know what it is like to not be able to create a child themselves, so when they finally get one through adoption it means so much to them. Plus, they really would have to have an extreme desire to have a kid. There are no mistakes with gay couples. If they want kids, they want it because they want to be parents to bad. Also, gay couples probably have a much lower divorce rate. Because most of them have to go through so much work and oppression same sex marriage, you know that they want it and that they love each other unconditionally.
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They would not go through all that work to just last a couple years if they are unsure if they are ready to be together for life. They know. They should not have to go through that much controversy just to get married.
The government has to stop being so opinionated in this issue when they ban same sex marriage. It should not be up to them. It should be up to the two people committing themselves to each other. They are fighting for the same civil rights as straight people. It is becoming the next civil right movements. We are doing the same thing to gay people as we did to blacks years and years ago. We are denying them of their rights. I thought we were over oppressing people that are different. Clearly, the world is not mature enough to accept others for who they are.
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This is one side of the fight for gay right I had never thought of before. It had never occurred to me that some of the couples would be international, but I'm sure that there are a number of couples that are comprised of one or more international person. It's already hard to get your citizenship, but it must be impossible if you are in a gay/lesbian partnership. As Jay said, immigration laws don't recognize gay marriage. I assume this is because the US government does not recognize gay marriages. Although same-sex marriages are granted in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Vermont. However, because these marriages are not recognized by the US, they cannot be used to apply for citizenship.
What happened to this family is so sad. You can see that their children are still traumatized by what happened to their mother. Of course it's going to affect a child to see their mother taken away in handcuffs with no explanation. I have to ask if that was really necessary. Wouldn't it have been just as effective to send Shirley a subpoena saying that she had to appear in court for her illegal immigration? I doubt they feared that she would flee. Why would a woman with a partner and two young children run away? Or if they did feel the need to go to her house, why couldn't they have just explained to her that she was in violation of immigration laws and that they needed her to accompany them? They handcuffs seem like overkill. It's terrible that the government treats families like this. True, they may not be legal immigrants and they do not live a "conventional" lifestyle, but they are still people and they deserve to be treated with some respect. It's terrible that a woman who has been through so much is subjected to this when she thinks she has finally escaped all of her problems. This woman had escaped from the Phillipines where her mother and sister had been murdered. The man who had killed them was constantly being released from jail and she didn't feel safe. She thought she could come here and start a new life, and she did for some time, until the government came into her home and threatened to tear her and her family's lives apart.
The Uniting American Families Act is designed to get rid of the discrimination against same-sex couples in the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would allow permanent partners of US citizens and lawful permanent residents to get permanent resident status in the same way as everyone else and penalize immigration fraud made in connection with permanent partnerships. The bill would also provide the offspring or stepchildren of the foreign-born partner.
I hope this bill gets passed. I hate that people who do not have citizenship, but are positive contributions to our society cannot live here in peace. So what if they're from another country? They deserve a fair chance to succeed like the rest of us. If you remember, we're all from different countries. The only ones who truly belong are the Native Americans.
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This story is heart-breaking. It kind of hits me hard especially because before Tuesday’s class I was not for gay “marriage.” I say it like that because I was never against the uniting of a gay couple and I always thought that they should get the same rights as a married couple, but I didn’t think it should be called marriage for religious reasons. However, Sam made a great point in class and with the one slide he put up (the comic with the different types of couples). He was saying that unless you follow all of your religion’s practices and beliefs that you shouldn’t judge and that you can’t choose and pick which beliefs you want to follow. I never thought about it like that and I definitely agree which is why I’m now okay with calling the uniting of a gay couple a marriage. Seeing this video, I got upset thinking that I had a problem with calling it a gay marriage in the first place. I never considered the damage that could be caused by it not being a marriage. This video reassures me even more that the government needs to give gay people the right to unite in marriage with the same rights as any heterosexual couple. Just like any husband and wife, Jay and Shirley are committed to one another and are raising a family together. There shouldn’t be any reason that Jay cannot petition for Shirley to stay in the country, and there wouldn’t be if their relationship was recognized as a marriage. If they have the right to adopt children and create a family, they should have every right to protect that family. It is in the best interest of Jay and the couple’s twin sons that Shirley be able to remain with them in the United States. The government should not exclude couples from certain rights just because both people are of the same gender. We live in the United States, and last time I checked all Americans have the freedom to be whomever we choose. This includes the liberty to choose whom we love and want to spend our lives with. The American government should not look down upon gay couples when they have the right to be gay in the first place. It’s basically saying, “Yes, you can be gay if you want. But you can’t …” No, it needs to be in black and white. If you’re gay, embrace it, be who you are, love whom you wish, and live your life under the protection of the government in the same way any heterosexual couple can.
Hopefully as more people accept gay relationships the United States government will recognize gay marriages equally to those of heterosexual couples. If not, I think there will be a more division and fighting within our country which is the last thing we need right now.
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cont…. My friend is not confused about her sexuality and is definitely a heterosexual. Moreover, she is well raised in a family full of love and affection. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She is very open-minded and sincere. You can talk to her on any subject and she will definitely tell you her true feelings on certain matters and she is usually very open to opposing opinions of others. It is heartbreaking to see that although USA is a free country, not all people are free nor are treated the same. I think that it should not matter if you are a homosexual or a heterosexual couples. Each couple deserves the same rights no matter what their orientation is nor what kind of lifestyle they have outside of what is considered to be a safe environment for a child to grow up. Also, deportation of an individual who is in love is ridiculous especially knowing that if it was a heterosexual couple they would just make the couple to get married and file for a permanent resident status.
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This video was very disturbing. It’s completely unfair that they can actually do this to innocent families who just want to live the American dream and raise their children, make money and have a happy life! This is a prime example how gay people are made into second class citizen’s everyday for doing absolutely nothing wrong but being good people. They are educated, they have jobs, and they sure do pay the same amount of taxes that straight people do and they can receive benefits and can stay in this country if there partner is not from this country. This just illustrates the ignorance of today’s society. This is also one of the main reasons why gay couple needs to be granted these rights. How can any gay couple not live in fear of things like this of these types of laws not happening? They are unable to fully lived there lives with instability of such laws like these. Gay couples needs their rights granted in stone because it’s absolutely inhumane. If they do not have a solid ground how are these couples supposed to live a stable life. Hopefully immigration will pass a law on this because these rights need to be granted to gay people. If this were to happened to any straight couple law suits would be happening everywhere and ethically this would not be moral in any time of straight household situation. And the sad fact about it that this loving couple has children. That’s what really hit home for me. As a gay man who is on fear of my rights being violated because I’m gay and I have done nothing wrong. Can you imagine if your kids saw you being hand cuffed in front of you and your mother was being taken away on a white van. Can you imagine the mental deprivation that this can have on children who have 2 moms or 2 dads and one of them aren’t from this country? This is shocking and must make them live in some type of fear. It was so sad to see her son cry because he had to witness such a traumatic event. Gay citizens are having there rights violated due to stupid laws like these. There are many straight couples who abuse this law every day. People end up marrying there friend just so they can stay in this country and are you telling me this wholesome family who is raising children and are trying to live there happy life raising there kids cannot exercise the same rights because they are of the same sex. It sad that this is breaking many couples up especially with children up everyday. Change needs to happened soon.
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I support the gay community and all of the rights that they deserve. While I myself am not gay, I believe that being gay is something that you are born with, which means it is out of that person’s control. So I say leave them alone already! A person cannot help who they are attracted to. This story makes me so sick to my stomach. What kind of people can just come in and break apart a family like that? Any healthy, loving couple should have the right to have children and create a family, whether they are the same sex or not. The story also tells us that this woman ran away to protect her own safety. However, they do not take any of this into consideration at all when they want to remove her from her loving home and deport her. The really sad part is that Jay is unable to petition for Shirley to be able to stay in America because they are same-sex partners. Of course some people would say that it is not a matter of same-sex partnership but a matter of illegal immigration. People find it wrong that getting married to someone in the United States grants that person citizenship automatically. While there is a point behind all of that I still find it very sad when I hear the story directly from them. It absolutely amazes me that even though the divorce rate in this country is so high they would try to break apart an actual healthy, functioning relationship. Also, the children did nothing wrong but they still have to watch their mother being taken away from them. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to be in their situation. It is truly heartbreaking to hear that this kind of thing actually happens to families. Sam brought up a great point when he said that getting drunk and having sex before marriage is just as bad as being with someone of the same sex, according to the bible. So why are people so hypocritical with these rules? You either follow all of them or you follow none of them, you cannot pick and choose. I will guarantee that the people that wanted the one woman departed were not all perfect. I will also guarantee that those same people were probably guilty of doing one of the things that the bible tells us not to do. So who are they to try to tear that family apart? They have no right to do that. I really and truly hope that the law that was mentioned does get passed because gay human beings deserve to have all of the same rights as straight human beings.
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Why is it so hard for the society we live in to accept the affectionate bond between two people? Oh, wait, it is not that we do not accept that, we just do not accept it when two people of the same sex want that. To me, it is a greedy double standard within our society. Your allowed to be recognized by the state if you love someone and want to spend your life with them, but only if they are of the opposite sex. This reasoning only makes sense to me in the catholic/christian world where the word "marriage" was meant for a man and a woman. However, in the ever changing world that we live in, there has been progression towards the allowing of two people, no matter sex, to be able to share what those of opposite sex relationships recieve. (Part 1)
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This has become such a national spotlight in the recent years with some states or cities allowing for the marriage of same sex couples, hoping this can lead to something far greater on a national level. As for this story, not allowing for a immigrant to stay in the country when they are involved in a loving family that are raising families due to the fact that the relationship that the parents have are not recognized by the government. We have how many so called "green card marriages" in the world going on, but those benfitting from these are allowed to stay in the country because they are recognized by the government. It is a shame that the constitution was written and the political heads of the country followed just one religion, because not everyone is of the same catholic faith that they were/are. (part 2).
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The U.S has seen situations like this in history, and those who searched for equal rights, women and african americans, eventually received what they were fighting for. Maybe this is a way of history eventually repeating itself and that in time with more voices being heard and a changing society, we will see the rights of the LGBT community recognized. As im sure it is noticed by my opinions, i believe that the hatred and denial of the gay community to not be able to be included in the rights of being known as a married couple is rediculous. For those who are homophobic or gay bashers, they are the one's who need to catch up to the current times and realize that these are people too, and they themselves have the same civil liberties as you do, no matter the preference in which they choose their mate. I believe that if we are to follow the constitution as it was written, in that all men (and women) are created equal, then why dont we start treating it that way and allow for no prejudice on one group to another (Part 3)
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This is ridiculous. I don’t understand why the united state would spend so much time and money trying to deport the mother of 2 kids in a happy family. There are so many same sex marriage couples tat should be broken up or have their kids taken away, lets not break up the good happy families because of prejudices.
There is a reason why church and state are separated, and this is a damn good example of one. Marriage is a civil union, when the state has to sign off on a marriage license the church should have no say on who is and isn’t allowed to get married. When what religion you are starts to interfere with your rights to have a family and live happily you know something has gone very very wrong.
This family is just one example of how keeping church and state not being separated is running peoples lives. The church is extremely judging and choosy. If you do not follow their rules than you aren’t going to heaven so you are just not a person worth caring about. Our society can not be run like that, otherwise good people will get the brunt everything. Same sex couples are NOT a threat to the church or anyone else! When it has nothing to do with you stay out of it, and when one person loves another person and wants to spend the rest of their life with that person it has nothing to do with anyone else.
People that don’t support gay marriage need to watch this video and then reassess their position. Who would follow a god that condemns people for being a loving happy family. And what society would tear this family apart because they don’t hold a piece of paper saying that they belong in this country. This country only exists because many people came here from all over the world. It is not right to deny people passage into our country just because we think we have enough people.
And what about those kids in the video, they had to witness their mother getting handcuffed and dragged out of the house, you don’t think that is going to scare them for life? When they think about our system and our government in the future do you think they are going to support it? The one child was brought to tears just talking about it after the fact, the kids had no idea why their mother was being taken away, and if they knew they probably would be even more appalled. I doubt any one of those kids will become a politician and I would be surprised if they didn’t end up leaving the country when they grow up and living somewhere else.
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This video made me kind of ashamed of the United States of America. We are supposedly the country that stands for freedom. Freedom to do whatever we want under the law of course. They should allow immigrants who are citizens stay. They just happened to be a same-sex family. That family was a regular family that probably could not hurt a fly. Those two mothers would be able to raise their children up just like any other household. It may be better to have that "father figure". Now a days, you have to settle with whatever you can get. There was no reason to deport one of the mothers in the same-sex marriage. The United States of America needs more loving families at this point, because most families break up. The couple was not doing anything illegal for them to deport one of the mothers. They probably already go through enough drama with being a gay couple. They do not need the United States of America ruining their family. The two little boys,children, were devastated when they found out with they did to their mother. The little boy teared up, because it probably broke his heart that his own mother is not accepted. Nobody would like for someone to come into their household and take one of their parents. It is brutal and cruel. It actually is kind of non-human behavior to do such acts. When was it ever illegal to break up an innocent family. A family who loves and cares for each other like any family. This madness has to stop. That was not the only family the United States of America has destroyed. If I remember correctly, they said 36,000. That is a very high number. If you think about it, those families were probably the most stable. "Gay households are known to last longer than "normal" or straight households. The whole point of my argument is to let the law they need to change it. Apparently, this family and many more same sex immigrant families provide and care for their family, so why deport them just leave them be. They are citizens of the United States of America which entitles them to live here. It will be a long time until the law changes, if it changes, because the mothers were immigrants who got their citizenship. They would have a hard time doing anything. The law is out for the immigrant citizens if I say so myself. Unless you were born in the United States, the law will make you have a really hard time. They think they have total control on what they can tell people what they can and can not do. They are citizens just like us.
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I think Sam raised a could argument from the video. I believe that gays should have the same marriage rights as heterosexual people.Why should government treat homosexuals different from heterosexuals? Is there really a difference between homosexual relations and heterosexual relations? Society creates controversy between different sexualities. Government laws that deny homosexuals equal rights make it harder for homosexuals to be happy. Homosexuals are questioned regarding their sexual practices, marriage, adoption, and often told all the reasons why it is wrong. But shouldn’t a society that prides itself on treating all of its citizens equally understand that homosexuals deserve to be married and not questioned about their life choices?
The arguments over same sex marriages should not gain support of the state. The states’ job is to promote the rights of its citizens, not favor one kind of popular morality or opinion. There are many rights denied to gay couples, including access to a spouse’s medical, life and disability insurance. Unmarried heterosexual couples can choose to have those rights because they have the option of being legally married, but homosexuals do not. Keeping gay marriage illegal violates the “Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment“. It discriminates because it makes one’s ability to marry dependent on one’s sexual preference. There is no constitutional basis for denying any gay couple the right to marriage.
Some people say that homosexual relationships are not biologically natural because they cannot produce children. They also argue that since they cannot produce kids allowing gays to marry will degrade the already struggling institution of marriage. Others say that gay people should have a way of defining their partnership legally, but that it should be separate from the institution of heterosexual marriage.
After watching the video, you realize how much gay marriages is important.It has been written that, “The states refusal to extend the privilege of legal merger to same sex couples and the insistence that we remain separate and individuated individuals, that gets figured as the injury of the denial of same sex marriage (Franke).” Same sex marriages is not only an issue within the gay community but also a reflection on politics. The government is influenced by social and religious aspects concerning homosexuality. Being gay is said to be morally wrong but being happy is considered perfectly right. But times have changed since the 1600s when citizens have to protest for rights because everything was related to God. Today there are gay churches all around the world. According to many people it is a sin to be a homosexual. But it is also a sin to commit adultery before marriage. Should heterosexual people who commit adultery before marriage also not be allowed to get married? Some politicians have come to realize that homosexual marriages aren’t all bad. Both Vermont and Connecticut have enacted civil union laws for same sex couples. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts now allows both same and different sex couples to marry. In the past year, courts have found “Unconstitutional the exclusion of same sex couples from the institution of marriage in New York and California”( Franke). In Europe Spain allows same sex couples to marry.
This issue is both personal and public because of the world’s “so called” march toward freedom. It should be considered morally right because America is the land of the free for all, not the heterosexual land where the gays are still fighting for freedom. One must understand that to happy is to be yourself and live by what brings you true meaning. If the world cannot except homosexual marriage as a way of life just as heterosexual marriage is then the fight needs to continue for both justice and happiness.
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It really is amazing how far we still have to go in the area of same sex marriages and their associated rights. It is unreal that families are torn apart like this on a daily basis. An earlier poster mentioned that the United States is encouraging two parent homes and recognizes that two parents are often more beneficial than one. In situations like the one in this video, there could not be a more truthful statement. This woman loves her kids, likely more than a lot of "parents" that are in our country today, and should not be pulled away from her children on a technicality. It goes to show that in order to make these changes there needs to be a loud voice coming from many people throughout the U.S.
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I think that this might be one of the saddest parts of the legal system with gay, lesbian, and transgendered relationships. To begin with, I am a huge promoter of the fact that people should be able to be with who they want to be with in life. I feel this way because if I was ever told that I could not be with a man i would be downright, for lack of a better word, pissed off. Not to mention if it was then breaking up my family, that would be even worse. Children whose homes are split up because of who their parents choose to love, is just wrong.
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To be honest, I probably would not have had much of an opinion on same sex marriage and the effects that it has upon those who take part in it and their families; after seeing this video, I definitely have something to say. It is so sad to me that these parents and their children are suffering tremendously because of what the government has to say. It is even sadder that they are being ostracized in a society that has grown to become so accepting. Of course we still have a lot of progress to make, but the United States has come so far, and it is so frustrating to see families being scrutinized and torn apart for an issue that is not problematic for them- same sex marriage in this family is clearly not an issue. These people are not bothering anybody; they are not doing anything wrong. Who is to say that they cannot be united as a family? It is really pathetic to see that the two children in this video have more of an open mind than our government. Of course, when growing up in their family, they have probably been more cultured to the idea of same sex marriage and an open mind in general, but I believe this is exactly what is making them more intelligent.
As frustrating as this situation might be, it is nice to see the UAFA attempting to patch things up. Simple efforts like this just let this family know that somebody is working on their behalf to make things right, and to make their family whole again. The woman in this video has already gone through so many hardships, and it is so terrible to see her sufferings continued, especially when her children had to witness her being put in handcuffs. The United States is supposed to have this amazing reputation of where people want to live, and it is disappointing to hear these people talk about how sad they are with respect to the way that they are being treated. There are so many other greater issues going on in the world today, and it is so upsetting to see that our country’s efforts are being directed towards deporting a woman that is part of a same-sex marriage. We have a lot of bigger things to pay attention to in this world, so I do not know how this whole issue has made it this far without an even bigger uproar. These kids are going to be so traumetized, but maybe something good will come out of it; maybe these twin boys will go on to help the UAFA in their fight to make things better for those families that are part of a same-sex marriage.
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I’ve grown up with the LGBT community my entire life. Gay and lesbian members of my family have partners and children and it isn’t something that we think twice about. They are supportive, attentive and wonderful parents and much more efficient than many of the heterosexual parents that I know. I hate that they don’t have the same rights as heterosexual couples. What Sam said in class is absolutely true. This is another step in the Civil Rights movement. It is not okay to take away the parent of a child just because the parents are homosexual. I never considered immigration rights for same-sex couples before this video. I think this issue is much bigger than I could ever have imagined. This is something that needs to be fixed immediately. We cannot allow any more spouses to be left without any financial support or unable to benefit from their partner’s health insurance benefits or getting deported from the country because they fell in love with someone of their own sex. What is even more frightening is that there are many countries where the laws are a million times more severe. Uganda recently passed a law stating that a person caught with homosexual activity will be sentenced to death and if you know someone who is homosexual and you don’t turn them in, you can be sentenced to death as well. What is everyone so afraid of? What about this makes people so outraged that they would actually kill someone else for it? Over Thanksgiving break my cousin came out to me and shortly after to the rest of my family. I was so proud of him for being so brave. But why does someone have to be so brave to talk about how they love? My family was incredibly supportive, but I could tell how shell-shocked my uncles and father were. My dad says he’s just worried about him having to be different and that he doesn’t want others to judge my cousin or to think differently about him because he is gay. I have a very serious question that I want to ask those who cannot come to terms with this. So what? I mean, seriously, why on earth do they care? What business is it of theirs? What effect could this possibly have on them? What difference does it make? When you really think about it, it doesn’t make any difference at all to a straight person, but with the laws that we have in our country and in the world, it makes a huge difference to someone who is LGBT. It means that they cannot have the same rights as straight people. It means that they have to fight immigration laws, adoption laws, insurance laws, and a million other kinds of law. But why?
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Okay, I don’t see why this is a big deal. People get deported everyday for being illegal in the United States but no one thinks it’s so “cruel.” The fact that these two women are a lesbian couple and one cannot petition for the other’s citizenship does not create pity for them at all, to me at least. If the U.S. is so strict in deporting illegal immigrants without even caring about tearing families apart, then they should be strict about whether a gay partner can petition for the other partner’s citizenship or not.
I personally do not believe in a person’s “desire” for the same sex. However I do not care if a person chooses or “naturally” desires the same sex as a partner, as long as a Lesbian woman does not hit on me. I do not like to see PDA between people of the same sex, it grosses me out. I know I may seem narrow minded but this is just the way I feel. I think the family setting one is raised in determines a person’s opinion on gay marriage. For example, I was raised by a mother and father, a man and a woman, and I never imagined having two “moms” or two “dads,” but I’m sure that the children of gay couples think otherwise.
In regards to gay marriage, I think they should be allowed to be married by officials who are willing to marry them. I don’t think there should be a law where the officials must marry a gay couple. According to the U.S laws a marriage is between a man and a woman so that should also be taken account of. The laws cannot just be changed because mass amounts of gay people decide they want to marry to get the benefits of a married couple.
If a law is passes that allows gay couples to marry all over the United States then I don’t think this should apply to the churches. I’m Roman Catholic and according to my religion marriage is between a man and a woman so I would think it wrong to marry gay couples in my church. The state and the church are said to be separate and they should remain the same way.
I do feel bad for the children though but I think this is the case for many young children in the United States considering there are so many illegal immigrants. I think the U.S. should reconsider allowing petition for a spouse’s citizenship if there are children at stake. A family should not be torn apart for any reason; it only damages the children and does no good for anyone. However, this should be the case for everyone, gay or not.
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Alright, this is a very touchy subject in respect to the situation this family is going through. I feel for the family on the aspect of having their family torn apart. I do not agree with tearing families apart, but this needs to be handled a specific way. Each situation is different in many ways but also similar. Lets consider a family that has their children born in the united states but the parents are not part of the united states. should the government separate the family or force them to leave? how bout a family where the children are not U.S. citizens but the parents are? can that even be? What makes it so different is the whole marriage thing. It all comes down to that really, and not that many states agree with same sex marriages, let a lone to even get a same sex marriage I'm sure you have to be a U.S. citizen (maybe true) I am glad the government is not allowing this kind of stuff happen. how many times does it happen a person not form the country marries into the U.S. citizenship just to get the benefits? if they allow this kind of shit to happen it would be ridiculous the amount of people that would be come U.S. Citizens.
Now in respect to families being torn apart. I don't agree with same sex marriages. So in a way contradicting what i said earlier, i guess the best situation would be to just move back to your own country. the United States is for some odd reason the only country that does not want to let anyone into its boarders anymore…people do not really understand this but it is because if we keep adding more people to the nation, then we will not be able to support it, and things will be all out of control. the nation is not rich enough to keep sustaining this amount of people at one time. If we could just get it under control, maybe we can start focusing on more effect means to keep families together. If we do not, it could end up like India, or China, where we have to put limits on the amount children people have. for these people here, they need to understand that they are in the United states, and that it is a privilege to be here, not a right. if they want to stay here they need to do it the right way.
I hope this does not cause a problem to peoples who believe that this is wrong, I feel bad for the family but as said before, it is the law, and thats how this land works. I am do not have a big opinion when it comes to immigration because i feel like there has to be a limit somewhere. but then again its a touch subject because everyone that has been here is technically an immigrant.
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I never really considered the effect that recognizing gay marriages had on the immigration issues in the US. It never occurred to me that situations such as this were taking place so frequently and that families were being ripped apart on the basis that same sex couples could not be recognized as marriages in most states. I understand where some people are coming from when they say that they do not want same sex couples to be recognized as "marriage", however, I feel that it is completely necessary to recognize it as some type of union that protects their rights and protects families from situations such as this. There is really no reason why gay couples should not be recognized as a family and have the same rights that any married couple has. Clearly this family is functioning as any "normal" American family would (except maybe even better off and more loving that most). The fact that this loving family is being torn apart over the fact that the parents cannot be recognized and have the same rights as a married couple is really unnerving.
This is another reason why I cannot believe that people still believe that being gay is a choice. Why would someone choose to live a life in which their family is threatened to be torn apart at anytime? It is not anyone's fault that a person is attracted to someone of the same sex, it is simply biological. That is why I feel that a person's upbringing is completely irrelevant to whether they turn out gay or straight. How many times do you see someone growing up in an extremely religious family, going to religious schooling, and still ending up coming out years later. Also, how many kids growing up with gay parents end up straight? This is why I feel that it is unfair to prevent same sex couples from having the same rights as any other couple, it just feels natural to them just as having a heterosexual marriage feels natural to straight couples. So if it is a big deal to people to call it a marriage then that is fine, call it whatever you want but we should still recognize the essential rights that are granted to all married couples in this country in order to prevent unnecessary financial struggles and terrible situations such as this from happening so frequently. The fact that our country is still trying to prevent gay marriage based on some type of moral issue is pretty ridiculous. Since when does anything the government does have anything to do with morals or integrity? If our country is so concerned about having more loving and caring families then maybe they should consider legalizing gay marriage, because it seems to me that an overwhelming amount of these types of families are much more deserving of raising children then most 'normal' families. Like Sam said there are no "accidents" with gay couples like there so often are with straight couples, so clearly the children in their lives are valued and loved.
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This topic is not only interesting but also it needs to be explored much more then it actually is… After watching this video and after tuesday's class i realized that you cant pick and choose what you feel is right or wrong. Which is something that i never realized until now. To be as honest as i can, i supported gay relationships and unions but something inside me always twitched when it was talked about as gay marriage. It must have been because of my religious beliefs, yet to steer away from being a hypocrite, i cannot say that i follow " the full religious life style" which means that i shouldnt pick and choose what is "good or bad" Now that i have analyzed the situation and dug deep in my feelings i realize that i was always wrong. I completely support gay marriage, and the full rights that go along with marriage. After watching this video, the struggles and obstacles that gay marriage families deal with is enormous and they shoudnt have to deal with issues that "straight marriages" have to deal with. this situation that this family had to deal with is ridiculous. seeing it from the eyes of the children, having to see their mother being deported was an event that could have been avoided, yet because of the couple not having the full rights of a "straight marriage" deportation was inevitable. Yet honestly that shouldnt happen. No matter what can peoples lives shouldnt be shot down becuase of not having rights… They were together for 23 years… 23 YEARS and all of a sudden, one day your mate the one you love is being locked up and deported.
This is just down right wrong…
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I think that there should be equality between straight people and homosexuals when it comes to immigration. I feel that its a matter of choice when they decide who they want to be partners with and that its no one else's business to discriminate against them when it comes to issues about their sexuality. Why should a gay person be any more likely to get deported than a straight person? To me this just doesn't make sense. You could even go so far as to say that it is barbaric.
To me the battle that gays are having these days is very similar to the battle that African Americans have had in the past.
Also when it comes to children, it is very harmful to the child to have their parents separated and taken away from them at a young age. I think it doesn't really matter if the parents are of the same sex or different. the immigration can't separate parents just because they are of the same sex, as long as they are taking care of the child and the child is not suffering, the immigration should not discriminate between same sex couples.The children in the video seemed like they were very well taken care of by those two women, and it seems to me that taking these children away from there parents actually did more harm than good. This video has taught me a lot. I never knew that gays and immigration was an issue. Back in my home country of India there are no openly gay people, so I never really experienced many of these issues until I came to the United States. I don't think that in a country like india which has such strong traditions and cultures, a person who is homosexual would not be able to come out with it. but in a country like the United states which is very liberal and believes in equality should not discriminate people who are attracted to the same sex.
In this situation there is much more at stake than discrimination towards different sexual orientations, it is the life of these children which is at stake. A child would not be able to have the same upbinging with a single parent. At such a young age children would not be able to understand who one of their parents had to be taken away due to legal issues like immigration. It would be beyond their understanding to get why his parents aren't allowed to stay together.
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I want to make two points regarding this video and this specific story relating to inequality and rather than support much of the same popular views out there that have been posted on this video, I want to play devil’s advocate.
Now, I’m not supporting what the United States government did at all. I think it is a sad story and must be crushing to their children. However, from the perspective of the law, it is most likely considered illegal to declare yourselves as citizens of the U.S. if your children are born in the United States but you do not have a marriage that is recognized by law. So, although it is heartbreaking, the police were essentially carrying out their duty in arresting the mother, who by law, just as anyone else who does not qualify for marriage under the law, are supposed to arrest her.
So, now moving away from the fact that this act does not violate the law, I think the marriage/immigration law system needs to be reformed. Children should not have to stand by and watch as their families are torn apart, especially one when parent is deported to another country, and will be much harder to reach and to communicate with. So, in that regard, I am for reforming some of the marriage/immigration laws surround LGBT people.
However, I want to move away from this story very briefly towards something that Professor Richards mentioned in class. He noted that, he, a full proponent of gay marriage, gay rights, and gay freedoms, identifies himself as a conservative. When Professor Richards was asked how he can consider himself a conservative and still support these socially liberal policies, he noted that conservatism involved no government intervention and laissez-faire(hands-off) policies in which the government does not intervene in the personal lives of its citizens. However, with respect to this point, I would have to partially disagree. From an economic perspective, this is completely correct in which “conservatives” favor no government intervention and when we undergo an economic crisis, they prefer to simply allow the market to correct itself.
However, from a social point of view, from the research that I have done and for the years that I have been following and reading about politicians and other public figures that consider themselves conservative, they do not believe in socially liberal policies such as equal opportunity for the LGBT community members.
The whole Christian right and much of the Republican party is built around these so-called conservative “family-values.” However, members in this ideological camp have public opposed legislation that favors equality between the LGBT and the straight communities. Now, whether many of them are hypocritical in this respect, when they ultimately end up tearing families apart, as we have seen in this video, is another issue in and of itself. Ultimately, however, I believe that the LGBT community will likely gain greater political advances in society.
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Although being a homosexual in the United States has become much less of a taboo concept in the minds of its citizens, shockingly, there are still laws that inhibit homosexuals from living out normal lives. Wasn't the United States of America formed on the basis of freedom and that all men and women were made equal? Do homosexuals not have the right to make personal choices without the scrutiny and disdain of the very government that they help support and maintain with their taxpayer bills?
Though I would be the first person to admit that I am not comfortable with the idea of homosexuality,
hearing about families whose parents are of same sex are being literally handcuffed, arrested and deported by immigration officers is outrageous and obviously a law filled with the blatant bigotry that should have been a sad, dated memory from a shameful past not so long ago. However, dramatic change takes a long time to take place along with the sweat and blood of many individuals. The best way to help such change along is to to first change yourself as every little bit helps.
No thought was given to the roughly 36,000 families being ripped apart and what might and possibly already have occurred to the children who had to suffer through the forced separation. It is not only a question of wasting resources and time to deport homosexual individuals but a question of human moratily.
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You can get deported for being a homosexual? Man, this woman gets the short end of two sticks when it comes to America: She’s an immigrant AND she’s a lesbian. I know that one of the two prime benefits of being an American Citizen is that you cannot be deported (the other being that you can vote), but she’s a member of an American Family. There has got to be some consideration to that.
I just don’t understand how people think that because a child has two mommies or two daddies (or even five mommies and five daddies for that matter), there will be some sort of problem in the development of the child. From what I know, the more love and attention the child receives, the better off they are. So what if that love happens to be between two women or two men? It’s better than if a child has a single parent who is struggling to make ends meet and can spend no time at all with his or her developing child. And that’s pretty much what America’s encouraging at the moment. “We think that having one parent is better than having two women or two men.” Besides, who are we to judge? There’s no outstanding scientific proof that same sex couples can’t raise a kid.
This story of deporting also reminds me of a story I heard one time in AP Government and Politics about citizenship. An American couple adopted a baby boy in Thailand and brought him back to the States to raise him. This kid was raised as an American, only spoke English, and had all the values of an American. He, however, committed a crime when he was a teenager and was deported to Thailand as punishment. He didn’t even know how to speak Thai. This was all because he didn’t have the documentation that said that he was American, even though he was raised as one. Obviously, there are some very serious flaws with the system.
Deporting a woman because she has a same sex partner? Deporting an American teenager for a misdemeanor because he didn’t have documentation of citizenship? I thought we were better than that as a country. Aren’t we the Melting Pot of the world (Or, rather, as Sam said, “the Salad Bowl” of the cultures)? But it seems like in this melting pot, the Iceberg lettuce has some serious problems with the tomatoes. And the tomatoes have problems with the onions. And the onions have problems with the croutons. And the croutons have problems with the lettuce. But everything in the salad hates anything else that gets added to the bowl.
I don’t think that the woman should have been deported. She wasn’t doing anything wrong (unless you seriously consider same sex marriage to be wrong). And she had an American family. It’s just kind of sad how old bigotries keep rising up. .. And it’s even more sad when it becomes integrated into law. That’s the beginning stages of a Holocaust.
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As moderate liberal I have always supported gay marriage. After Thursday’s class however, I cannot understand why any one, liberal, conservative, black or white can oppose two people’s right to marry. Sam cited his conservative view that personal responsibility rules and that government should not intervene in any way. It makes perfect sense. Why should the government tell any one who or who they cannot marry? The government does not tell straight people who they can marry and why should they? One can look to history when the government did interfere with Americans right to marry, in the form of interracial marriage. Personally I am the result of an interracial marriage and frankly the fact that no so long ago, my parents would not be allowed to marry, is shocking and disheartening. I remember my parents telling me how difficult their wedding was, a mere thirty five years ago. Their parish priest would not marry them and how my mother’s father initially refused to attend the ceremony. These are the very issues gay couples face today and will continue to face even after gay marriage is legalized in all the states. All of the arguments against gay marriage are also similar to those opposing interracial marriages and ultimately brings up the issue of adoption? Will the child have a normal life? Will the child face shame and ridicule? I can honestly say my own experience has been better then most children growing up in a “normal” or should I say traditional household. I was exposed to two different cultures which I believe has made me aware of others around me and also a more well -rounded person. I believe that children of gay parents will also have a similar experience. They will be more educated people having had such an atypical experience. I honestly believe that a couple can provide a stable and loving home just as easily as any straight couple. Sam also emphasized the fact that most of these gay couples truly desire to be parents and will most likely give their child more attention then a straight couple who “accidentally” become parents. I agree that gay couples should expose their children to members of their opposite sex, ie gay men should expose their children female role models. This however should not be the basis to deny them to adopt or even to marry. Someone’s sexual orientation, which almost any mildly intelligent person would agree, is not a choice. Why should something that is not a chosen attribute, this includes race as well, determine whether or not a person can marry another person. Anyone who opposes gay marriage should honestly oppose interracial marriage as well. When one looks at the argument in this manner it becomes silly and intolerant.
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I believe it to be outrageous that they were about to tear apart a family because they didn’t consider them to be in legitimate marriage because they were of the same sex. Seriously, threatening to deport one of the family members because they are of the same sex and are not considered legally married. Certain given benefits such as transfer of citizenship are common in different sex marriages; obviously this isn’t the case for same sex marriages in different states. It doesn’t matter if the person is good or not; it is simply a fault in our government that separates families and only brings misfortune.
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I have a difficult time discussing gay rights. It's not that I'm uncomfortable discussing the topic—rather, the topic is so inanely simple within my framework of beliefs that there's nothing to discuss. It's like discussing something like, say, integer addition. You can certainly debate about the philosophical underpinnings of mathematics, or minutia of defining the integers, or even alternate realities in which addition works in different ways. But to what end? Adding two numbers works the way that it works, and practically, there is very little to debate on the subject.
Sexual activity serves multiple purposes. In many places across different species, one can observe sex being used to make new life, to form social bonds, to impose social hierarchy, and even to simply pass the time. In particular, homosexual behavior is observed in many, many different species. So to say that homosexuality is unnatural is to crassly ignore evidence to the contrary. Further, twin studies make it apparent that homosexuality is substantially influenced by biology, so to say that it is entirely a personal choice goes against what the real world tells us.
So it is clear to see that sexual orientation is a trait which, like race, gender, age, height, or eye color, is determined significantly by heredity, and in particular is mostly outside of an individual's control. A fairly universal principle of enlightened governments in the world today is to treat individuals equally under the law, without regard to such substantially unimportant genetic factors. So under the (perhaps flawed) assumption that we live in an enlightened democracy, it is a pure contradiction of this principle to distinguish between the legal rights of homosexuals and the legal rights of heterosexuals.
Another principle of enlightened governments is to allow freedom when it comes to the interactions of consenting adults. That is, there needs to be enough regulation to ensure that no individual can easily dominate the will of another, but beyond that, the government's role in individual interactions should be extremely limited. In particular, the sexual interactions of consenting individuals in private premises should fall entirely outside of the government's domain of control. That is to say, homosexual acts themselves, beyond even the question of choice versus outside factors, should not be regulated. This is not such an issue in the U.S. today, but in many nations (various Muslim nations come to mind in particular), the law is set against homosexual acts.
With regards to gay marriage, there are two sides to consider. First, marriage is often considered as a religious institution. Clearly, since religious organizations are independent from the government, there is no justification to force organizations which traditionally do not allow gay marriage to change in this respect. Again, it is a matter of the government's domain of influence being limited to providing equal rights within interpersonal interactions. Second, marriage is considered as a legal institution. In this sense, a marriage is the legal recognition of a certain type of a relationship between consenting individuals, and inasmuch as a legal distinction is not made between black and white marriages or between short and tall marriages, neither should such a distinction be made between heterosexual and homosexual marriages.
It is all very straightforward to me, and I have very little to say to individuals who disagree with me on any of these points. It's not that I'm unwilling to debate—I can certainly intellectualize what they have to say on the matter—but rather, it's that their views diverge from reality, from what really exists in the world. There's little to discuss when the discussion concerns not matters of opinion, but matters of fact.
Concerning this family's story: When the government offers equal treatment under differences in heredity, this sort of tragic happening will no longer be an issue. One stubborn generation at a time, it seems, we work towards a society which is consistent and straightforward in belief and policy.
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After I finished watching this video, I was going to start off my comment by saying how sad it was, since it clearly is. However, I started reading some random comments by the repliers. Some started off with my same original thoughts, but others I just couldn’t believe. For example, jim5049 was just rude! He acknowledged the parents as “the first asian girl” and “the other girl” who “looks like a boy”. He was in a sense not even acknowledging them. He disrespected them; they aren’t girls or boys but rather women. Others were appalled by the video due to things like the government taking away the mother of the family and immigration laws, but I am appalled at jim5049’s and some of the others’ thoughts. I would think that voluntarily taking this class would make a person have an open mind about the issues in our society relating inequality, but these people don’t seem to have one. What is also annoying with the comment is his argument about family. According to him family must be blood only. Of course, technically that’s the case, but family isn’t just a technical word. Family is a group of people who you love and would do anything for, which can consist of extremely close friends and/or roommates. Calling a parent’s friend “Aunt Connie” isn’t “lying”, it’s just a respectful way to address someone older who’s close to the family; it’s not “stupid”. Now I realize I’m complaining about one comment and I should actually reply to it, but I’m not the confrontational type and I definitely don’t want to start drama; I simply disagree completely about his thoughts.
Now in regards to the video, this is such a touchy issue. Immigration issues are huge in the nation currently and it has to be addressed and fixed and this is how the government is dealing with it. I don’t necessarily support it, but it’s kind of the only way. There are too many people, but not enough room. There are so many legal residents who don’t have jobs and other economical issues involved with this topic that illegal residents have to have consequences. I say I don’t support it because my family members were immigrants here and moved here for better lives. If they hadn’t I wouldn’t be here now. Granted they eventually became legal citizens, so maybe it’s not the same argument. I do believe in gay marriage though and it’s a shame that the government doesn’t believe in it too.
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This is outrageous! Why would you want to separate a child from people that care about them and treat them well to put them in foster care. We all know that the foster care system is a complete and utter mess. Children that go through the system enter a lottery . Either they get into a good family that will love and cherish their lives while some enter homes where the parents are only focused on getting paid. This makes no sense! It seems like America is being corrupted of the idea of same-sex union that they are willing to do anything, even at the expense of children, to get this message to same-sex unions. Those boys clearly were enjoying their life and accepted the fact that they were being raised by two women. they did not look feminine or gay to me. They look as normal as any other child that live in a home with straight parents. I didnt see any thing wrong with them but for some reason the government felt the need to intervene and be the hero and "save" these boys that did not ask for any support. I dont believe they went crying for the government to come take them out of that house because they were being treated wrong due to the fact the they were being raised in a same-sex household. I don't believe that those boys had a problem with their lifestyle. To them their life was great but someone else not in the home feels the need that they are not in the right or "correct" living environment so they stripped them of what they had. I wonder if they realize and when will they notice that removing a child out of a situation that is not harmful and that they are accustomed to, can cause much more detrimental consequences than what they originally thought was a problem. This could lead to some psychological problems in a child's life.We were all put on this earth to fulfill a certain goal. People need to mind their own business and live their lives and not the lies of others. We need to stop trying to control the life certain groups and discriminating against them. We all have the same right complete this distinct "pursuit of happiness that was so call promised to us so people need to back down and let others do what they have to do to be HAPPY!
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