Equality, freedom, pursuit of happiness, and human rights are ideas and principles that can be used to describe what America stands for.

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing two controversial cases: California’s Proposition 8, that defines marriage as between men and women only, and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that restricts federal marriage benefits.

Banning same-sex marriages restricts individual rights to be free, free to express themselves and free from living in fear of ridicule because of who they love. If two adults love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together, then why shouldn’t they be allowed to do so? Do we really want a government that makes those decisions for us? That tells us who and how to love? Who we can and cannot marry?

This was once the case for another controversial topic involving marriage. There was a time not long ago when interracial marriages were against the law. In 1967 the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that banning interracial marriage is unconstitutional. As silly as that sounds it was actually a criminal act to love someone of a different race. We have made progress from the days of segregation, but we still have a long road to travel to truly achieve equality for all.

Equality for all means just that, equality for everyone, no matter what age, race, gender or sexual preference.

When the highest court in the land hands down its ruling on the current controversial cases, expected sometime in June, we – should hope for the sake of freedom of expression, equality for all, human rights, personal dignity and for America itself – that these: unalienable rights prevails over bigotry and ignorance.

The Experience supports same-sex marriage and gay rights.

No one should be able to take rights away from others just because you do not agree with a certain lifestyle.

Can you, in good conscience, really cast a vote that prevents two people who are in love with one another from making it official by joining in wedlock? Should that prevent them from enjoying the same rights as everyone else because you personally don’t agree with homosexuality or the redefining of marriage?

We argue that this would be a violation of what America stands for and that the Supreme Court should rule in favor of Proposition 8 and strike down the DOMA act.