This document discusses the issue of gay marriage rights in the United States. It proposes signing online pledges in support of gay marriage and encouraging local politicians and officials to publicly voice their support as ways to promote marriage equality. The author believes that everyone should have the right to marry regardless of gender and that more voices speaking out on this issue can help sway public opinion and lead to nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage.

1. Gay Marriage
By: Ayla Rorbakken, Skylar Haigh and Chelsea Serrano.

2. Problem & Issue
Problem: Federal marriage
discrimination is wrong.
Issue: Only 13 states, and
Washington D.C. allow gay
marriage to be 100% legal.

3. State Your Beliefs
I believe that every couple that wants to
should be able to get married even if they
are two men, or two women.

4. State Your Proposed Solution
My solution is that people who agree with me
need to get involved. I found a website called
Freedomtomarry.com, and it has numerous
details on what you can to. Two things that
stuck out to me most were getting your mayor
to speak out publicly about supporting
marriage equality, and signing the pledge
online.

5. Why is your proposed solution
the BEST action?
Because everyones voice should be heard, and
that is made simple by singing the pledge.
Also, the mayor or other government officials
have very loud voices. They will be heard all
over, and may change a few peoples’ minds.

6. Other Possible Appropriate Actions
● Sign pledges or petitions on pro gay marriage websites.
● Watch TV shows/movies with gay couples in it. If these
get good ratings, the more often directors will put
them into films and shows. Gay couples could
eventually become “normal” and maybe more
people would accept them.
● Donate to Freedomtomarry.com.
● Debate with people who disagree with the right to
marry, try to persuade them.
● Tell friends/family to share why they think gay
marriage should be legal in all of America, maybe
even the whole world.

7. Are there any legal consequences
to your action?
Right now, it is illegal for gay couples to marry
in a lot of states. There are a few states that
are legal.

8. Are there any social consequences
to your action?
About half of all people disagree with gay
marriage. These people may get very mad,
some of these people could even be in
Bettendorf Middle School.

9. Are there any economic
consequences to your action?
A couple when married has many more legal
rights than unmarried couples. Including tax
benefits, inheriting some of your spouse's
estate, getting medicare, social security
benefits for spouses, insurance benefits from
spouses’ employee, being able to visit your
spouses in the intensive care unit at the
hospital, receiving equal division of property
if you divorce, and receiving family rates for
different kinds of insurances.

10. What values do I have to
support my beliefs?
I value equality for everyone. I do not like
discrimination at all.

11. What are the values and beliefs
of other people?
Many Christian groups
oppose same sex marriage,
and they aren’t afraid to be
public about it. According to
a Christian pastor,
“Marriage is an ordnance
from God that unites a man
and a woman.” He also
once said, “Homosexuals
are people who think they
are smarter than God.”

12. What business or individual in my community
might be able to help with my initiative?
● I can guarantee that all
of my friends can help.
● Big companies that
support gay marriage:
Bud Light, Martha
Stewart, Youtube,
Expedia, Smirnoff,
Absolut, Oreo, Amazon,
Levi’s, Nordstrom,
Target, JCPenney, and
Starbucks.

13. Steps to Complete the Action
● Skylar, Chelsea, and I will try to get people to sign
support-gay-marriage pledges online.
● After that, we should try to take it to the next level.
● E-mail our town mayor, our governor, and other
government officials about their opinion.
● Those that support same sex marriage, we will ask
them to speak out, on social media or at a public
forum.
● Goal: Try to turn people who oppose same sex
marriages’ opinions around.
● Ultimate Goal: Have all of America, 100%, legalize gay
marriage.