Essay on Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal

Same sex marriage is increasing at a steady rate, and with this rise comes the inevitable retaliation of religious political officials, namely Kim Davis. Her decision to refuse marriage licenses to same sex couples was unwarranted, as it is not her decision to make. Davis’s decision sparked a massive debate within the U.S., while also revealing that religion still plays a significant role in the underlying function of the U.S. government. Even with Davis’s religious freedoms noted, she is legally obligated to distribute marriage licenses to all who qualify. It is common knowledge that marriages in the U.S. are primarily monogamous unions formed between a male and a female Christian.[1] However, this is not always the case. Some marriages are formed between two Muslims, Hindus, as well as atheistic couples. So then, why is it that when a same sex marriage is brought to the table and is legally approved, that one Christian license distributor is allowed to decline the couple a license? Kim Davis does not have the authority to make that decision; she has the option to either distribute marriage licenses to all who apply, or to step down from her position. David Von Drehle from Time magazine put it this way, “Davis, like any other American, has a First Amendment right to be disgusted. She can believe that homosexuality is an abomination… But those are private rights, and issuing marriage licenses is a civic function.” (27-28)[3]. While it may at first seem noble for Davis to…