Why marriage is not for everyone?

Article: Argentina approves landmark gay marriage bill
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66E1IH20100715


Everyone deserves their own Hallmark moment.


The article begins with a statement that Argentina has made gay-marriage legal, and it is the first country in South America that lets gay couples marry and adopt children. As a piece of hard news, the article has fulfilled the 5W in the first paragraph. The quote from a leading gay rights activist in Argentina is very useful in reflecting the views of other supporters of the new law. The writers has shown the readers a vivid scene outside the Congress after the vote. The descriptions made me feel as if I was among the supporters who were hugging each other and jumping up and down even when the outside temperature was almost freezing. I could feel the passion in their hearts.

As a Roman Catholic country, Argentina is now at the vanguard of gay rights in the region despite the Church's opposition. The Catholic Church opposes all homosexual activities and regards them as intrinsically disordered and an abuse of our human nature. Legalizing same-sex marriage is then believed to have harmful effects on the society. The article has given the fact that recent opinion polls show most Argentines support gay marriage and the Argentine President, Cristina Fernandez, supports gay marriage on human rights grounds. This is a big step forward towards a democratic society. As said by Fernandez in the article, the law was a "positive step that defends minority rights."

A crowd in front of the Argentine National Congress,
waiting for the result of the debate on same-sex marriage in Argentina. 

To give readers more information on the issue, there is a list in the article that shows the countries that permit same-sex marriage. We knew that homosexual couples can marry in five states and in the capital city, Washington, where different laws apply in different states in the United States. The writer has also given a brief account of the laws in other Latin American countries as to the adoption of children by same-sex couples. The article has covered the key issue in Argentina as well as related issues and facts in other countries. Though it is short, it is a comprehensive and informative piece of writing.

There is also a video beside the article. It includes interviews and scenes of people cheering outside the Congress. It certainly has brought me into the moment and helped me perceive the news in a more visual way. At the end of the article, we also knew that Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, in addition to its fame for its tango culture, is also a "gay friendly" tourist destination.


Photo courtesy of:
http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-time-to-allow-gay-marriage/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crowd_in_support_of_Gay_Marriage_2.jpg