1.

Need/Problem
a. Gays and Lesbians should have the right to get married
i. Harm?
1. Harms the psyche of the gay/lesbian
a. Makes them think that they are less of a human being because
they are denied the right to marriage.
ii. What is the cause?
1. Over two millennia of religious oppression
a. It has been interpreted by many that the bible outlines that a
union is between a man and a woman
i. Where does it say?
1. Nowhere does it define marriage between
man and a woman.
2. It mentions a man should be with a woman,
but nowhere does it define “marriage” as
this.
b. “It is a sin!”
i. Remember, the bible was written originally by a
bunch of homophobes. What is written in the bible
about gay/lesbian people cannot be completely relied
upon as absolute fact, but viewed as opinion.
b. I am gay and would like to marry one day.

2. Plan of action?
a. Already there is a movement to help pass gay marriage laws in many states and even on
the national level.
b. PROMO is Missouri’s statewide group in support of gay marriage.
i. Should be focused on the state level first
1. Eventually if more states pass it, the government might make it national
law.
ii. How to make it succeed in Missouri?
1. Already St. Louis has been named one of the most “Gay-Friendly”
Cities of the United States.
a. The most trouble is within the rural areas of Missouri.
i. Should target young people, who are more open-
minded than older inhabitants, and for the older
inhabitance, list off the economic benefits that they
will see from this.
1. Such benefits could be 1) A boost in local
profits from gay marriages. 2) More taxes
could be brought in from the increase in
married couples in the area if gay marriage
were allowed, et cetera.
a. Forbes magazine, a popular
economic magazine, says about
$17 billion could be gained if gay
marriage were made legal on a
national level.
2. Alternative solution-
a. Since this is such a controversial issue, leave it up to the
individual counties of the state in question to decide what their
policy on gay marriage is.
i. The more metropolitan areas that support gay-rights
and gay-marriage can pass laws allowing gay/lesbian
couples to marry within the borders of the county.
 ii. The more rural areas which characteristically do not
suppot it can make it illegal to marry within the
borders of the county
1. If a couple decides to move from a gay
supportive county to one that is not, then the
marriage should still be recognized as it was
done in a county where the ceremony may
be performed.
a. This way there may be more
options than the five states that
currently allow gay-marriage.
i. Along with the District of
Columbia, those five
states are Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Iowa,
Vermont and New
Hampshire
3. Conclusion