#46, Marriage
The May 21, 2012 cover of the popular U.S. magazine, Newsweek
On May 9, 2012, President Barack Obama became the first U.S. President in history to officially support same-sex marriage. “At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Mr. Obama said.
Mr. Obama also cited his faith in Christianity explaining the decision, “The thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the golden rule — you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated,” he said. “And I think that’s what we try to impart to our kids, and that’s what motivates me as president.”
In the U.S., 17 States have made same-sex marriage legal, all within the past five years. In Korea, same-sex marriage is not recognized throughout the country. Still, several couples have private ceremonies and skip government recognition. This practice leads to several questions, one of the most pressing, should the government be able to determine who citizens can marry?
To complete this week's Journal response,
- Should citizens have the freedom to marry whom they choose?
- Comment on one of your peer's responses.
-Brenden Lee Teacher
águas de março