Lecturer addresses gay marriage

    Should homosexuals have the right to marry?
    The multicultural, class and gender studies program will host a lecture on gay rights and marriage Wednesday in Faculty Hall room 208.
    Sam Marcosson, law professor at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, will conduct the lecture.
    Kevin Binfield, professor of English, philosophy, fine arts and humanities, and the lecture coordinator, said this is the second lecture in the lecture series established by the multicultural, class and gender studies program.
    In the first lecture, Chris Trzepacz, an assistant biology professor, spoke about the biology of sexual identity.
    Marcosson said Binfield contacted him to be the lecturer of this topic.
    “I agreed to do this lecture because the topic of gay marriage is important, and I would like to address it to the community,” Marcosson said.
    Because gay marriage inspires controversy, Marcosson said he is not sure how many people will attend the lecture.
    “I believe the issue will draw a crowd,” Marcosson said.
    Derrick Farlee, freshman from Paducah, Ky., said he did not believe in the right of gay marriage because of his religious background.
    “I think being gay is against the Bible,” Farlee said. “If God wanted men to be married to men he would have made it that way.”
    Although Farlee said he did not agree with gay marriage, he said everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
    “When you are passionate about something you stand up for it,” Farlee said. “On this issue, people should stand up and feel strong about what side they are on.”
    Anthony Jones, senior from Union City, Tenn., expressed an opposite viewpoint on the gay-marriage debate.
    “I don’t think that people understand the real issue,” Jones said. “It is not really a religious issue, it’s not like we are asking people to hold religious ceremonies when we get married. I believe that religion and government should not mix. We just want to have to same rights as everyone else.”
    Jones said he thinks the lecture will educate others on the topic and bring more understanding.
    “When people are educated, I think it will help them become more open-minded toward the issue,” Jones said.
     Marcosson said he will bring up the recent lawsuit in California on legalizing same-sex marriages to demonstrate when people should stand up for their viewpoints.
    “I want people to know when to make the right arguments on this debate,” Marcosson said. “I will discuss the lawsuit in California (that was trying to ban this movement) and show how some states are taking the steps to legalizing these marriages.”
    Marcosson said he would allow questions at the end of the lecture for anyone wanting clarification or to know.
    He said he believed people would probably want to voice their opinions, which is important for such a controversial subject as gay marriage and gay rights.    
    “I know some people might want to discuss issues during my lecture, but I want them to wait until the end,” Marcosson said. “I am welcome to any questions.”
    Contact Deren at elaina.deren@murraystate.edu.