Civil Rights of Gay Americans

The arguments considered here address various aspects of the controversy. Michael Levin, who is opposed to Gay rights, and Jonathan Alter, who favors them, argue (among other points) that opposition to homosexuality is not the equivalent of racism. Levin, however, argues that civil rights for Gay people infringe on other Americans' freedom of conscience and Alter holds that such rights can be granted while those who are opposed to homosexuality can reserve their right to disapprove. Peter Gomes addresses the question of biblical support for opposition to homosexuality and finds that such interpretations of the bible are not supported by the texts. His argument undermines the claims of Christians who oppose homosexuality on moral grounds and demonstrates the degree to which they operate out of personal prejudice -- a prejudice that both Levin and Alter accept as a respectable way of feeling about homosexuality. Jonathan Rauch argues that even though such prejudice exists, Gay activism should avoid

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02). But does he really believe that those who oppose Gay rights are simply opposed to Gays who "act gay"? The individual who did not "act gay" would still be subject to losing employment, housing or other rights if he or she merely led a quiet life, living with a partner and not acting "swishy" or "butch." Those who oppose such civil rights are not basing their opposition on a mild dislike of some behaviors by some people. The word "much," qualifying the "dislike" people feel, is misleading in an argument regarding the supposed difference between racial prejudice and anti-Gay prejudice. The weakness of Alter's argument is perfectly clear if the same terms are applied to African Americans. It might be said, for example, that much of the dislike of African Americans is based on their behavior and not on actual dislike of them for what they are. If this statement could be accepted as a reason for not guaranteeing the civil rights of African Americans and as evidence that anti-black feelings are not a prejudice but a reasonable dislike, then Alter's arguments would be convincing. In fact, Alter's argument collapses under such a comparison. The argument put forth by Gomes makes the problem in Levin's and Alter's articles cle
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Approximate Word count = 2034
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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