InfoCentral

Every week the library publishes an article in the Westland Observer on a new subject. Below is this week's article.

Gay Marriage

InfoCentral, January 15 - 21, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama’s invitation of evangelical pastor Rick Warren for the opening prayer at the inauguration has caused somewhat of an uproar. While some people see Obama’s decision as a way of reaching out to those with opposing views, many others feel it is a sign of disrespect given Warren’s support for the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Not long after the passage of the ban on gay marriage, this issue has once again become a hot topic of debate in this country.

The meaning of marriage means different things to different people. Some think of it as an institution while others view it as a practice. Some use the Bible as an argument against gay marriage while others use a line of reasoning based on civil rights to make a case for it. There is a lot of gray area when it comes to this discussion and it is important to have an understanding of both sides of the issue. The Public Library of Westland has many resources that shed light on the pros and cons of gay marriage.

For an overview of the history of marriage and all the various forms it has taken, check out E.J. Graff’s What is Marriage For?: The Strange Social History of Our Most Intimate Institution. This book shows how marriage has changed throughout time to suit the social structure of each period. Same-Sex Marriage: Moral Wrong or Civil Right? by Tricia Andryszewski is a good, brief source for a balanced analysis on this issue. For a more in depth examination, Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con offers an even collection of opinions from Plato to Ann Landers.