The Violence And Constitutional Controversy Across The United States

The United States of America was founded as a secular sanctuary for ideals like freedom, equality, and tolerance – few will argue against that. Over its history American culture has radically evolved as it strived to meet the ideals its nation was based upon, making changes like ending slavery and providing legal equality for women and minorities, changes that at the time seemed absurd but today are unquestionable merits that define what an “American” is. The quest to reach the ultimate utopian society continues today as true Americans fight the evils of ignorance, stubborn bigotry and the fear to change that still manifest themselves in a large portion of U.S. citizens, preventing this nation from moving forward. One of the outstanding minorities still left to be granted the ideals of freedom, equality, and tolerance are homosexuals trying to obtain the right to marry the person they want to spend the rest of their life with, regardless of gender. Same-sex marriages should be recognized in the eyes of the U.S. government in accordance with its responsibility to provide all American citizens equal freedoms.

In recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown into a nationwide controversy, reverberating into the halls of congress, at the white house, in dozens of state and legislature and courtrooms, and in the rhetoric of election campaigns at both the national and state levels. As the debate rages on, the American religious community remains deeply divided over the issue, and over the morality of homosexuality. The debate has grown from an issue that occasionally arose in a few states to a national and even worldwide controversy.

Over the next two decades, half the states decriminalized homosexual behavior, and police harassment grew less frequent and obvious to the public. Also in 1975, it became legal for gays to hold federal jobs. However all this headway also made room for more opposition. In 1977, Anita Bryant was so successful at obtaining a repeal of a recent gay ordinance in her home state of Florida that by 1980, a league of anti gay clubs had come together to make a force, led in part by Jesse Helms. The AIDS scare that began in the eighties did not help the gay image either, but more citizens joined their ranks in order to combat the oppression and fund a search for the cure, so in the end it actually made the movement stronger. According to the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2000), by 1999, the anti-sodomy laws of 32 states had been repealed, and in 1996 Vermont granted its gay citizens the right to same sex marriages. Gay rights has come a long way as a social movement, and though it still has a long way to go, it makes a good topic to analyze the process of the social movement.

This investigation assesses the New York City Stonewall Riots of 1969, concerning their influence on the rise of the modern gay rights movement, specifically regarding political emergence, social unity, and demographic shifts. The investigation will attempt to answer the following question: To what extent were the Stonewall Riots of 1969 a catalyst for the LGBT social movement in America?

This timeline provides information about the gay rights movement in the United States from 1924 to the present: including the Stonewall riots; the contributions of Harvey Milk; the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; the first civil unions; the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York; and more.

Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of a certain group of people or things. Privileges are given to some while others fight for equality. Discrimination has been an issue for a long time and is still going on today. It may range from as large as reaching the Supreme Court, to little everyday things like students at school not getting the same treatment as everyone else.

The American gay rights movement dates back to 1924, when the Society for Human Rights in Chicago became the country’s first gay organization. It was not until the 1960s that the movement began to make any real progress. However the feud over gay marriage did not become an issue until 1970. It initially became a problem when a Minnesota couple, Richard Baker and James Michael McConnell, were denied a marriage license by the Hennepin County District

World War II ended. Many of them hid their “unusual” sexual orientation from the society out of shame and fear. Gays who lived in cities often formed close social networks with other gays while remaining a hidden subculture. During the 1940s and 1950s, LGBT Americans earned many freedoms they had not previously received. Their presence became more free-flowing but still not widely accepted. In the middle of 1950s, discrimination against LGBT individuals started to expand, they have been kicked out of their jobs because of their sexual orientation. Moreover, the homosexual lifestyle was considered as a threat to American security in the 1960s as gay and lesbian were being harassed or raided at that time. However, it was the turning point for the LGBT community in 1969 when the Stonewall riots broke out. The Stonewall

In history, most people didn’t accept the idea of homosexuality, and many people used to believe that marriage is strictly between a man and a women. Many years ago, homoesxuality was in the DSM of Psychology as a psychological disorder, and psychologist used to try to treat patients with homosexual urges. Just like civil rights, the acceptance of homosexuality has increased through movements of gay and lesbians fighting for their equal rights. The most recent movement in the United States was the federal legalization of gay marriage. Everyday people are becoming more accepting of same sex marriage. On June 27th 1969 a group of gays and lesbians stood up against discrimination of homosexuals in New York City. This event is known as the Stonewall Riots in New York City and was a milestone for homosexual equality and civil rights. The United States has always been about equality, and that shouldn’t exclude same-sex marriage. With the legalization of same sex marriage our nation 's laws are closer to what we preach. Politics often debate the legalization of gay marriage, conservatives being mostly anti-equality, and liberals being pro-equality(Murray). Accepting same sex marriage promotes quality in the United States and brings this nation closer to a free nation.

Discrimination refers to the arbitrary denial of opportunities, rights and privileges on the basis race, gender, sex and other aspects. Discrimination is classified into individual discrimination, institutional discrimination and structural discrimination. Individual discrimination occurs when an individual member of a given racial or ethnic origin treats another individual of a different racial or ethnic in a discriminatory manner. People can act on their negative attitudes toward another race or ethnicity when they come across individuals of that background.

“We’re here, we’re queer, get over it.” In 1990, these words, shouted and displayed proudly on signs waved by the activist group, Queer Nation, were revolutionary. Never, not since the Stonewall Riots, had non-straight, non-cis people been so vocal about their existence and demanded acceptance – something that straight people take for granted on a daily basis. However, in the years since the Riots, LGBT activism has become much more mainstream, no longer whispered about behind closet doors or something to be wholly ashamed of. Gay marriage is legal in all 50 United States, something that has been fought for since the conception of the LGBT movement. In fact, gay couples are routinely being featured on popular television and other forms of media. Some might say that in 2016, the dreams of the rioters in Stonewall have been realized. Marriage rights and the spotlight on nighttime television; equality seems to truly be right on the horizon.

As many minority groups in the United States have fought for their civil rights in past decades, it is the gay community that now finds itself striving for equal opportunities in our culturally diverse nation. Although they have already come a long way in the path of acceptance, most recently the gay community has had to confront extremist conservative groups who claim that allowing same-sex couples to join in a civilly recognized union violates the act of a traditional, sacred marriage.

The controversy between same sex marriage and religious beliefs has been a reoccurring issue in the United States over the past few years. Not only are religion and same sex marriage controversial issues alone, but there is a direct correlation between the two that makes the situation even stickier than before.

Today in the United States same-sex marriage has only recently become accepted. Same-sex marriages have been a controversy in the United States for decades and in the past few years the three branches of the United States Government, The Legislative, The Executive, and the judicial branch have played their part in making same-sex marriage common and accepted in America. Many people have fought for the right to marry whom they love and now, because of that hard work the people of the United States can be open and happy with their lives without fear of being judged or tormented by their communities.

Same-sex marriage has grown into to a national issue. In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to marry which provoked a firestorm of debate. The discussion extends from private livings rooms and local watering holes; all the way to the floor of the U.S. Congress and the White House. The debate about same-sex marriage has become a hot button issue, which pits secular-progressives who support gay-rights against religious and social traditionalists fighting for the sanctity of marriage.