Marriage. A legally, religiously, or socially sanctioned union of people committed to one another, forming a familial and economic bond. Same-sex marriages included. Same-sex marriage is one of the most controversial issues of our time. As of July 1, 2013, 55% to 40% of Americans believed that same-sex marriages should be recognized as valid by law. This is the most significant support ever received in our country. We should not deprive gay and lesbian couples of the human right to equality. Legalizing same-sex marriage has been proven to bring about amazing effects not only for individuals, but also for our country as a whole. Failure to do so would only set us back further in the evolution of American society. We are becoming more and more open-minded as a society, and treating everyone equally would certainly help. First, same-sex marriage should be legal because it would generate financial gain for the state and local governments. Revenue from same-sex marriages comes from marriage licenses, increased income taxes, and reduced costs of state benefit programs. More marriages means more money for the government. New York City's comptroller has estimated that legalizing same-sex marriage would bring $142 million to the city's economy and $182 million to the state's economy over three years. Just because the government has more money does not mean it will use it wisely. They might unnecessarily fund irrelevant changes instead of funding more important causes. Although we can never guarantee where the money goes, it is the system that generally works well and benefits us. In the end, most of us get what we need. One of the most popular arguments against gay and lesbian marriages is that the Bible says homosexuality is wrong. This should...... middle of paper ...... Supreme Court case Zablocki v. Redhail, the court described marriage as one of the basic civil rights of man. Granting only heterosexual couples the “privilege” of marriage would be unconstitutional. Americans should have the freedom to marry whoever they want, regardless of gender. Therefore, if we legalize same-sex marriage, all Americans will be treated equally by the government. Think about it: this could be the only thing stopping us from restarting the economy and society. More money in the system and a more open-minded society are two things our country desperately needs. Using religious texts for peace is a good start. Legalizing same-sex marriage wouldn't hurt anyone, so why not do it? We must give everyone their civil rights. It's time for a change. If people have been fighting for marriage equality since the 1960s, it's beyond important.