Same-sex marriage: Not everyone is happy about it

Gay rights have come a long way in the United States. Just 50 years ago, same-sex relations were against the law. Just three months ago, in June, the Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage was legal in all 50 states. The majority of the media says that the ruling is a huge step forward for human rights, but there are some that do not. People who are opposed to the ruling do not seem to get as much of a voice as the people who are for the ruling.

Many people who do not agree with the ruling come from religious backgrounds and have Biblical-based morals. Most of the time, these people are painted as hateful and ignorant by the media, but that is not always the case.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said Mr. Ronald White, attorney and President of the La Verne Stake for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when asked about his initial thoughts when he first heard the ruling. Before the ruling, 32 states defined marriage between a man and a woman, but the Supreme Court ruled that all same-sex couples should be recognized as a union in every state. Mr. White said, “It was a sad day when five jurors can make such a big impact and change American life.”

When asked about how the ruling will affect the people of the church, Mr. White said, “It’s causing concern in the church, but we still love and accept homosexuals. We’ll love people no matter who they are. Just because you believe in traditional marriage doesn’t mean you hate homosexuals. The media’s views on religious morals reflect an easy way to attack or oppose people who don’t agree with the majority of people.”

The reason for most of the outrage in some churches now is because of the way that the whole conflict was handled. “The Supreme Court’s job is to interpret laws, not create laws. There was not a lot of legal input in the ruling,” Mr. White said. This is why the church is outraged, not because of “homophobic views” that most people assume they have.

Mr. White shared opinions with Supreme Court Justices who voted against same-sex marriage. Chief Justice Roberts wrote one of the dissenting opinions, and he wrote, “Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.” Chief Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “The Court’s decision today is at odds not only with the Constitution, but with the principles upon which our Nation was built.”

When asked about how this will affect society in the future, Mr. White talked about how there may be consequences in the future. “This is a great victory for those in favor, but later on things may change.” The next ruling may not favor their views. The ruling may have additional effects on society in the future if the Supreme Court Justices again act outside the bounds of their authority.

Mr. White said that people will just have to “agree to disagree” on the issue for the time being.

–William Foreman