The United States has always been a country to which people from around the world have flocked to avoid the hardships and tyranny of their home countries. We pride ourselves on being the “land of the free,” and yet we fail to extend the simple right to marriage to members of our gay community. The very first lines of the document on which our country was founded state: “All men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. » Isn't the right to marry whoever you want part of each of these rights listed? The homosexual community is heavily discriminated against in that they are not allowed to marry and maintain positive, lasting relationships, just like their fellow heterosexual Americans. As this issue continues to be debated and discussed, more and more people are realizing that our gay population actually deserves the right to marry and receive the federal benefits that come with marriage. Unfortunately, there are still people who don't think this is a good idea. Gay marriage should be legalized and federally recognized for many reasons, but most importantly because homosexuality is not something anyone chooses and for the many benefits that married same-sex couples could bring. A very important factor in determining gay rights is whether being gay is actually something biological in nature or whether it is simply a choice that some people make. There are of course many different views on the subject. There is the group that believes being gay is a choice - this group is primarily made up of conservatives and...... middle of paper......1.Jost, Kenneth. “Confrontations over gay marriage.” CQ Researcher September 26, 2008: 769-92. Internet. March 17, 2011. “Freedom.” The Oxford Dictionary of English. 2nd ed. 2011. Print. Otto, Mary. “Same-sex marriage: good for children? Washington Post December 1, 2006. the web. March 17, 2011. Pawelski, James G, et al. “The Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on Children’s Health and Well-Being.” Pediatrics 10.1542 (2006): 349-364. Internet. March 17. 2011.Roosevelt III, Kermit. "Obama's DOMA Change: Why Public Support for Same-Sex Marriage – and Gay People – Is Now Certain." Christian Science Monitor February 25, 2011: np Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Internet. March 18, 2011. Wydra, Michael et al. "America's Changing Attitudes Toward Homosexuality, Civil Unions, and Same-Sex Marriage: 1977-2004." » Social Work 52.1 (2007): 71-79. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO. Internet. March 17. 2011.