1) According to the article, what percent of Americans polled support gay marriage and why is this news?
The article explains that recently, CNN conducted a poll and found that 45% of Americans support gay marriage. It went one to explain the significance of this percentage and how in 1996 only 25% of Americans supported same-sex marriages. This is important news because we are hitting the point for the first time in American history that same-sex marriage will be the majority and no longer a minority.
The article explains that recently, CNN conducted a poll and found that 45% of Americans support gay marriage. It went one to explain the significance of this percentage and how in 1996 only 25% of Americans supported same-sex marriages. This is important news because we are hitting the point for the first time in American history that same-sex marriage will be the majority and no longer a minority.
2) Click on the link to Proposition 8 in the NY Times article. What is Proposition 8? Also, briefly describe the history of Prop 8 over the past few years.
Proposition 8 was a 2008 ballot that was passed in the state of California, banning same-sex marriages. There are many advocates for both sides, most, if not all, gays pushing for a ban of Prop 8, while many religious groups and people call for the law to continue to outlaw same-sex marriages. Recently, David Boies and Theodore B. Olson filed a lawsuit against Prop 8. As so now, same-sex marriage is banned in California, but some 18,000 gay couples that got married before the passing of Prop 8 are still legally married.
3) According to the this amendment, what is the definition of marriage in the U.S.?
The documents states that a "marriage means only leagal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word spouse refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife", excluding same-sex marriages or unions.
4) You can click on a state to see their stand on gay marriage, adoption of Defense of Marriage Act etc. Choose two states and compare their positions on gay marriage. Please don't all choose NJ!
New Hampshire has allowed same-sex marriage in January of 2010. The state passed the Defense of Marriage Act in 2004 and has defeated two proposals for the ban of gay marriage.
Alabama overwhelmingly voted against same-sex marriages on June 6.
I chose these two states because of their historical track records of being liberal and conservative states. I wanted to compared a liberal nor-east state to a generally conservative southern state. It does not take a genesis to have guessed what the outcomes for each state were going to be, and its sad that there are only a handful of states that allow same-sex marriages.