Rights Over Beliefs

Currently society accepts one specific lifestyle as ideal: a person is born, grows up, marries the opposite sex, has a few children and supports their family until their dieing day. The monogamist-heterosexual relationship narrated above describes a "nuclear family". Any family type that is different from a nuclear family typically faces discrimination and difficulties in pursuing their desired relationships. Unconstitutional rules have been made, and those in unconventional relationships, such as polygamists and homosexuals, are punished simply because they have different beliefs. The most obvious discrimination of people that do not practice monogamist-heterosexuality is the denial of a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate is a legal document, which protects people financially and socially. Therefore, couples without a certificate are at an institutionalized fiscal and social disadvantage. For example, if someone in a nontraditional relationship does not have a marriage certificate and becomes ill, the hard decisions that may need to be made will not be left to the partner. Legally, the right belongs to the parents. This institutionalized discrimination against otherwise upstanding members of our society is illegal. Laws against untraditional relationships are unethical because our government cannot legally discriminate against minority groups by giving special rights to certain groups and forbidding others the same rights.

One unconventional family type discriminated against is polygamy. Due to their unpopular way of life they are often penalized and persecuted. However, there should not be laws prohibiting polygamy. Making laws that prohibit polygamy violates the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. This amendment states that congress may not make any laws establishing a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Monogamy is a Christian concept, therefore it is unlawful for the federal government to make monogamy the only legal marriage. Polygamy is not inherently worse than any other type of relationship or family. Polygamist relationships can be unhealthy, but it is just as likely to encounter unhealthy monogamist relationships. In fact, many advocates of polygamy say that it, "is the one lifestyle that offers and independent woman a real chance to 'have it all.'" (Joseph 143). In the article, "Polygamy Now", Elizabeth Joseph explains how the practice of polygamy relieves overall stress in women's lives. Since their household contains numerous women that are capable of meeting life's daily demands, the individual women do not need to make sacrifices regarding their potential in life, in order to care for their family (144). Everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness, and many people in polygamist relationships would not be happy any other way. While I do not personally agree with polygamy, it is even more wrong to force beliefs onto others with unconstitutional laws.

Homosexuals also fall into the category of minority groups facing institutionalized religious discrimination. Christians, along with other religions, believe that homosexuality is a sin, and against God's will. People are entitled to their beliefs, but not to force them upon others. Whether a couple practices homosexuality or heterosexuality, does not determine if a respectable family or relationship exists. Good relationships possess love and honesty. Homosexuals and heterosexuals are equally capable of showing the same extent of love and honesty as anyone else, so homosexuals should not be discriminated against by our legal system. As Donna Ferrato portrays in her photograph, "New Definitions," the love in same-sex marriages and their families is no different than that of the nuclear family. Homosexuals lack no vital trait that heterosexuals have. Just one look at the photograph, and the family's love is obvious, which

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