Blog 13 "Marriage amendment would affect many people, panel says"

This article is from the Winston-Salem Journal and I thought this would be  a great article to end on for my blogs. "A proposed state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage would have unintended consequences that could hurt children, victims of domestic violence and others, according to a panel of legal and religion scholars at a community forum Sunday in Winston-Salem." The article goes on to explain why people are supporting the amendment, "North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast without such a constitutional provision. Same-sex marriage is already illegal by statute in North Carolina, but supporters say a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage would protect traditional marriage from being redefined by the courts" What many individuals against this amendment and other panels I have personally listened too from lawyers and other officials have said this does not just affect same-sex marriage it effects every one's family. They also say that individuals do not know this because they only have heard the first paragraph of the amendment and they are not explained what the amendment is about. I believe this is a civil rights issue not just for same-sex marriage but for everyone who are not married. If this amendment passes common law goes away. So many individuals will lose insurance from companies who allow domestic partnerships in their health benefits. Also, many individuals will lose power of attorney when dealing with loved ones in the hospital and other tragedies. Also, domestic violence laws will not be allowed to be used for individuals who are not "legally" married if you have a domestic violence case it is just looked at as assault and you only get a restraining order. You do not have the same rights as individuals who are married. This is why this is a civil rights issue because everyone deserve the same rights. Some individuals will be losing the rights they have had all along just because they do not want to get married. I believe any civil rights issue and discrimination is a social problem.

 http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2012/apr/16/wsmet01-marriage-amendment-would-affect-many-peopl-ar-2166456/

Blog 12 "Family planning group sues over exclusion from Texas program"

Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit to stop a new Texas rule that will not allow the family planning organization from using a program that provides cancer screenings, birth control, and other health services to low-income women. Planned Parenthood is saying it is unconstitutional and that will lead to tons of women not being able to get preventive healthcare from their chosen provider. To me this goes along with the gay-marriage debate that the states are trying to define what is appropriate and not appropriate for their citizens to receive and what rights. "Since the Texas Women's Health Program began in 2007, state law has technically banned its money from going to abortion providers or affiliates of abortion providers, but the state did not enforce the ban on affiliates" Also, just like the gay-marriage debate deals with religion reasoning so does the abortion conversation. Women have always been oppressed there has been improvements over the years but there is still a lot to be done for women. To me this is a social problem, women and gay marriage need help with this civil rights issue. Women and individuals who identify themselves with a gay identity are being oppressed.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/11/us-usa-plannedparenthood-texas-idUSBRE83A1G320120411

Blog 11: "Gay-Inclusive Anti-Discrimination Bill"

In Chile, after the murder of Daniel Zamudio created an anti-discrimination law which is gay-inclusive. Daniel Zambudio was murdered because he was gay. He died on March 27th from injuries he received in an attack in a park on March 3rd. He was targeted because he was gay the officials have said. Due to this tragic incident the House of Deputies joined the Senate in approving the anti-discrimination bill which was proposed in 2005. Many Evangelical churches lobbied against this because they were afraid that it would lead to legalization of gay marriage. "Discrimination made illegal by the law is defined as 'any distinction, exclusion or restriction that lacks reasonable justification, committed by agents of the state or individuals, and that causes the deprivation, disturbance or threatens the legitimate exercise of fundamental rights.” To me the conversation about gay marriage is a civil rights issue and with many civil rights issues it takes a murder or tragic event to make a law or to make the conversation to change. Things are slowing changing but there is still a lot to be done to change. Religion still plays a big part on why having a gay identity, becomes a problem for individuals in the community. 




http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=11445&MediaType=1&Category=24

Blog 10: "Marriage amendment galvanizes activists"

As I have been continuing to find that the big social concern for both sides of the debate is same-sex marriage and what defines family. I chose this article because it takes place in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It has the same conversation we have been hearing is the concern of the marriage amendment, Amendment One. The election takes place for this amendment on May 8th. This article talks about how the churches around North Carolina are trying to get the amendment to pass and North Carolina is the only state in the south that does not have a constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage. This article talks about the one side of the debate and that is passing this amendment. For a social problem to exist there has to be a side that has a negative few. Same-sex marriage to individuals is a social problem that does not deserve the same rights as heterosexual marriages. On the other side of the debate is that same-sex couples are being discriminated against and deserve equal rights. The main issue is a religious view on same-sex couples and marriages and also how the culture defines what is a family. The idea of what is a family varies person to person but to the government it is for heterosexual individuals. Over many years the idea of what family means have changed over decades which explains that it is not just a biological thing it is also has some sort of social construction. If the culture changes the definition of what family is, I believe there can be a change in the conversation if same-sex marriages are "families".

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/29/1965637/pro-marriage-amendment-rallies.html

Blog 9: "Immigration, marriage laws leave same-sex couples in limbo"

This article says that in the United States same-sex couples "live under the threat of separation because federal law prohibits immigration authorities from treating them the same as married opposite-sex couples." The foreign-born same-sex spouses with thier American born partners live in a legal "limbo". In the eyes of the government, they are neither married or are they citizens. This brings on an emotional strain for the individuals they can not leave to visit loves ones in fear of not being allowed back in the country.  Federic Deloizy a native of France says "It's dehumanizing." To show the inequality of this "If a U.S. citizen marries a foreigner of the opposite sex, he or she can apply for a green card for the spouse to say in the country and eventually become a citizen. That process isn't available to about 28,500 same-sex couples." Another point to show the inequality is that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act blocks access of federal benefits to same-sex couples, which includes immigration.  To me this is a big social problem on many of the reasons as I showed about inequality and this is a global problem as well, because it is even effecting individuals who are not native born. Inequality in the idea of marriage is a huge problem that needs to be addressed, but once it is there is always a backlash that comes from it. If one state passes rights then another state denies rights. Its a never ending battle that needs to be fixed, everyone deserves all the same rights no matter what sexual orientation they are or if they are native born or not and so on.

 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/22/3506310/immigration-marriage-laws-leave.html

Blog 8: "HUD rule aims to cut discrimination"

In Detroit, Michigan there is a conversation that is going on about the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)- funding housing; about how HUD have been discriminating against families based on sexual orientation or gender identity. They have been doing this by asking applicants to state their sexual orientation or gender identity on the application to receive HUD. Now, an Obama administration official announced Friday that there is a new rule that took into effect this week that they are no longer allowed to ask applicants the question of their sexual orientation or gender identity anymore. "HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said the new equal access to housing rule “says clearly and unequivocally that LGBT individuals and couples have the right to live where they choose.”" Due to the HUD discrimination there are many homeless youth in Detroit who are LGBT and across America.

To me this is a very big social problem that is gradually being solved. People in our government are taking action about discrimination against LGBT families. The housing conversation still has a lot of blind discrimination going on and not just in the LGBT community. Real estate agents still use a way of steering individuals of a particular color to a particular neighborhood by only showing them those particular neighborhood. To me there is still a huge issue with families discrimination on the home owning or renting level racial and LGBT or gender identity. But I believe this action taken by the government is a good step in the right direction on fixing one of the many social problems.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hud-rule-aims-to-cut-discrimination/2012/03/09/gIQAvuov5R_story.html

Blog 7: "For the Urban Poor, a Downside to Residential Mobility"

The article begins to talk about how the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a program called, Moving to Opportunity in 1994. It then explains that the program's main goal is to help improve employment, education, and health in low income families living in poor neighborhoods with providing residential mobility. The individuals involved with this program was done at random some stayed in public housing, some got a section 8 housing voucher and another go vouchers the to use in an apartment in low-income neighborhood. My only issue with this is that it did help some individuals but the others ended up getting more adverse effects. Another issue they kept them in low-income neighborhoods, they are still being discriminated against. Yes, they moved from 40 percent or more poverty rates to 10 percent poverty rates, but they are still put into low-income neighborhoods, so they are still not getting the benefits of individuals of middle class or upper class. They are not allowing them to be mobile to another class. This particular article just starts the conversation of a big social problem of the gap between the rich and poor. Due to the current economic issues this has become a even larger gap. Also, the lack of mobility between classes and lack of access to opportunities based on location and class is a social problem that is long over due for not being fixed. Due to these lack of opportunities to education, health and employment the cycle continues as it is now and might become worse.






http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2012/03/urban-poor-downside-residential-mobility/1386/

Blog 6: Value Our Families

Frank Bruni says, "marriage is worth aspiring to and fighting for (Bruni,nytimes)." Frank goes on to talk about the stereotypes of gay marriage. Individuals believe the women under the age of thirty having children out of wedlock are said to be gay but that is not the case. They are using these stereotypes for reasons of vetoing the same-sex marriage bill.  What I get from what Frank is trying to say is you can define what a family is especially from facts that are not exactly correct. Families have the same statistics no matter what social orientation the family is.

Same-sex marriage is a human rights issue they deserve the same rights as anyone else in America and other countries. America is not the only ones having this issue. This is a social problem on both sides, It is a social problem for individuals who are against same-sex marriages and this is a social problem for individuals fighting for their rights. They are being discriminated against.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/opinion/bruni-value-our-families.html

Blog 5: "Ending child marriage can boost India's rise: Tutu"

Just a little back ground of what has been going on in India. India's development has been slowing down because of discriminatory practices against women, for example child marriage. South African peace campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu said that India is doing fantastic but think it would better if women were given their proper place. He is now a chairman of The Elders, which is a group of prominent people dedicated to addressing humanitarian issues,  and they have started a new global movement called "Girls Not Brides" aimed at ending child marriage. The article says, "Gender experts say a girl under the age of 18 is married every three seconds."  This practice is most prevalent in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, despite laws in most countries banning it.  Indian women face threats  from sexual violence, dowry murders, discrimination in health, education and land rights as well as child marriages. This is a social problem because a particular group is being hurt and their is a group that is aware of this and are advocating to help them. I did not realize how many women under the age 18 were getting married, 47 percent of women in India were married before the age of 18.  I am surprised that the United States has not gotten involved in this social problem because of the United States being so ethnocentric.






http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/09/us-india-women-tutu-idUSTRE8181AD20120209

Blog 3: Hasidic Hell: Married at 17, Girl Runs From Her Orthodox Roots

Some social problems arise because they believe something is not correct. Marriage has been in the news lately primary about the idea of same-sex marriage. People do not agree with cultures that differ from their own especially when religion comes into the conversation. Another type of marriage that is not talked about a lot but gets strange looks, is arranged marriages, it gets strange looks because it does not seem to go with our culture here in the United States. Individuals around the world are very ethnocentric and do not take the time to understand others culture because they believe their culture is more superior. In the article they talk about Deborah Feldman who was placed in an arrange marriage. Her husband was an orthodox Jewish man. Deborah was in the Hasidim tradition, but lived in Brooklyn, New York. She only met her husband for thirty minutes. The Hasidim tradition teaches that women are made for sex when they go off to the "marriage teacher". In the article she talked about how she escaped marriage in 2006 from the cloistered and misogynistic world of New York's Satmar Jews. Some individuals that still practice arranged marriages really love it but some do not. A lot traditional practices start to change over time, such as arranged marriages especially if they come to America. Many traditions get lost when they  move to America because America is suppose to be diverse and accepting but many of America is ethnocentric about the traditions here. 







http://abcnews.go.com/Health/hasidic-jew-runs-orthodox-roots-arranged-marriage-child/story?id=15540395#.TzLfIORHCBo

Blog 3 "Archbishop urges state not to 'dictate' over marriage"

This article is about how the Archbishop who is the second most senior Church of England cleric, said that marriage "must" be between a man and a woman. He claims he has supported civil partnerships but people who are trying to overturn history and redefine marriage are "dictators". But he also states that its not the governments role to "gift" the institution of marriage to anyone. What Archbishop says is very contradictory. Which many people who are against this subject tend to be also all over the world. Individuals fighting against same sex marriage sees it as a social problem and he even states it as it some kind of cult.  He also believes that if you change marriage you are trying to change the English language. I am noticing that this was created as a social problem by particular group in society connect with the churches. This would not even be a issue if people were not so caught up in traditional values. I believe there are more important things to worry about that fighting against gay marriage. What people do not understand it is becoming more of a norm and not so out of the ordinary. Of course this depends on location also. In the South in the United States it is a huge issue with gay marriage because of being in the bible belt. Marriage used not be involved with the church, people got married not based on love but for economics. Marriage has changed over many years on why people get married. Now people get married for love and are less connect with the church, but the church is still trying to being involved in marriages.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16771101

Blog 2: "Marriage saying I Don't"

Less people are getting married than fifty years ago. In 1960 alone almost half of 18 to 24 years old were getting married. Many young adults were getting married 50 years ago. The age of marriage has been falling since the 1900. In the 1960s educators and psychiatrists urged young adults to say no to marriage until they have completed their education. The next generation of young adults did just that instead of average age of 20 for women to get married was now 27. More individuals are remaining unmarried than ever before. Due to the same-sex marriage debates if this is passed the proportion of married young adults may rise. Marriage used to almost mandatory back in the day. Now it is more of a reward couples give themselves.  Many of the new marriages are of individuals who have cohabited. Not being married further increases social inequality because the majority of married couples have two incomes which increases the likelihood of being more stable and avoiding divorce. This article does a very good job on showing how marriage is changing and how they believe that making same-sex marriage legal would change the current number of couples getting married. Times have changed and more individuals are focused on education and this does not leave much prospective individuals for lower income individuals to marry. It is sad to see that even marriage creates social inequality for families. Marriage used to be mandatory and also marriage used to be looked at and still is for lower income families as a economic standpoint. It was a type of financial stability and even business partners during the agricultural era. 


http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/19/opinion/la-oe-coontz-marriage-20120119/2

Blog 1 "Same-sex marriage backers launch campaign"

A huge topic in the news and in politics is what is considered family, well the article I found called "Same-sex marriage backers launch campaign." Is talking just about that, the article explains how Same-sex marriage advocates are launching a statewide "public education campaign" in Iowa to move the conversation about marriage from politics to family homes. The civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and Freedom to Marry are seeking marriage equality nationwide. The advocates are creating open discussions with members of the community and how the right to marry has improved lives and families. This is a huge topic that is getting a lot of media coverage even in the supreme court. People are advocating for the rights of others to change the definition of family and marriage. Some states have changed this definition, but many states are still not ready for this to happen. I believe this is a great way to get their word out. In my opinion no one should define what marriage or family is, because it is different for everyone around the world. Many people are even expanding this topic even in Canada about same-sex divorce. I really do believe this is a great way to advocate about something you believe needs to be changed. They are getting the community to get in on this topic to see if this makes a difference when they bring it to the political area again. I believe the advocates need to try this in other states.


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120119/NEWS/301190065/-1/state_fair/Same-sex-marriage-backers-launch-campaign