For the past 45 years, gay groups have fought against mainstream America for the right to enjoy the same rights as all other Americans . Over the past ten years, they have fought for the right to marry. It is up to individual states to determine the laws that govern this situation. Gays and other liberals believe they have the right to unite in harmony, while conservative groups in the United States adamantly fight this position. We will examine the arguments on both sides, to determine which has the stronger argument. Supporters of same-sex marriages have argued that by banning same-sex marriages, gays are being denied their religious freedoms. The groups draw this argument from the First Amendment to the Constitution, which states that a person's religious views or lack thereof should be protected. Marriage is a secular activity; the government cannot start legislating just because religion says so. The argument hits the nail on the head, accusing states of violating the group's First Amendment rights of the gay population. If the federal government recused itself from this debate, then same-sex marriages could flourish. They believe the federal government has overstepped its bounds by allowing states to enforce this law. (Messerli, n.d.). Advocates believe that by passing these laws allowing same-sex marriage, family values ​​will not be weakened. They say allowing gay people to marry will make the world a better place. They believe that the company will not only continue to exist, but will also continue to thrive. They are referring to a study published April 13, 2009 in Social Scie...... middle of paper ......s to make it palatable to all men and women in the United States. There will be a price to pay for this when we all meet our maker. Works Cited Messerli, J. (nd). Should same-sex marriages be legalized? Retrieved from http://www.balancedpolitics.org/same_sex_marriages.htmProcon. Organization (2104). Gay marriage. Retrieved from http://gaymarriage.procon.org/#BackgroundWyk, S. V. (2013). "Voices for and against echo as Supreme Court weighs same-sex marriage". Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/26/voices-pro-con-ring-out-court-weighs-gay-marriage/?page=allWebb, R.A. (2014). Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: The Fight for Civil Rights and Equality. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/diversity/lgb/062005.aspSame Sex Marriage Laws. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/same-sex-marriage-laws.aspx