Not all relevant votes in the Senate are those that are later transformed into laws. Some votes are relevant because of their potential for major social reform. In the case of the recent all-night voting session held by the Senate at the end of March, those crucial votes pertained to same-sex marriage.
The U.S. Senate has voted numerous times on the topic of same-sex marriage, and the results are somewhat predictable — democrats support same-sex marriage, while republicans tend to counter the idea. However, in a vote at the end of March, 11 republicans in the Senate voted in favor of benefits for same-sex couples, even if they live in a state where same-sex marriages are not legally recognized. The recent vote in the Senate is very unlikely to make it to the upper chamber or become a law, but it is telling of the potential changes within the Republican Party in regards to gay marriage.
Forty-six democrats and 11 republicans in the Senate agreed that same-sex couples should receive social security and veteran benefits they have earned as citizens of the U.S. Even if the state the couples live in does not acknowledge gay marriage, the Senate majority believes citizens should be entitled to these rights. Of the 11 republicans who supported the notion, two of them live in states where gay marriage is not yet legal, and one of them previously worked to defend the ban of gay marriage in the state of North Carolina. If republicans that represent a state without legalized gay marriage support the advancement of benefits for same-sex couples, then other republicans will likely change their vote and support the idea of equality also. The senators’ change in mind-set indicates that there are many more changes coming in the future, hopefully to give same-sex couples the rights and privileges they deserve.
If American citizens serve in the military and selflessly risk their lives for the U.S., then they deserve full benefits for themselves and their partners upon retirement. Whether that citizen is of an ethnic minority, gay or transgender, he or she has still served the U.S. government and its entire people, and it is wrong that some of these brave individuals are being denied full benefits. That is what the republicans in the Senate are finally seeing — people who identify as LGBTQ+ are human beings, and it is a necessity that they be treated as such.
For some reason, our society views homosexuality as deliberate and punishes the gay community by denying its members the same rights and benefits as the rest of the American population. This absolutely must stop. Even though democrats and republicans disagree on many aspects of the American government and justice system, equality for human beings should not be a topic of disagreement. There is really nothing to argue about — every single American citizen who abides by the Constitution should be protected by the Constitution. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are no exception.
Republicans control the U.S. Senate, and those republicans are finally making a bold stance against the traditional beliefs of their party. If other republicans in the Senate begin to back the 11 that initiated equal treatment same-sex couples, perhaps a major stride in the equality of all Americans could be made. A historic move for the fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community is approaching. Everybody, get on board.