Love, the emotion expressed so widely from friends to romance, is the basis of marriage. The idea of ​​marriage revolves around the concept of loving each other so deeply that you want to unite and share a life together. The best description of marriage includes words like; commitment, unconditional love and pure beauty from the bottom of your heart. There is no possible way to measure the validity or veracity of these emotions. When a couple decides to get married, they make a mutual commitment to each other. Ultimately, commitment should be a decision made by the couple and no one else. Many other countries practice arranged marriage, in which couples are forced by their family to marry. In America, we have the freedom to choose who to marry. You may think you have this right, but you actually don't! Same-sex couples, who decide to remain in a committed relationship, want to express their commitment in the same way that heterosexual couples are able to express their love. In recent months, the battle over same-sex marriage has gained enormous media coverage. Feelings towards same-sex marriage are extremely opinionated. People tend to base their opinions on religious and moral grounds. The divide in American public opinion has caused much controversy, especially in this year's presidential election. President Bush has taken a stand against same-sex marriage and civil unions, but America is a land of equality. Are same-sex couples not included in these civil rights? Many conservative politicians and American citizens have opposed same-sex marriage on the grounds of protecting the sanctity of marriage. President Bush argues that under the Defense of Marriage Act, each state is not required to accept a... piece of paper... a statement. Let's hope we aren't asked to make an exception on our country's definition of freedom. Bush says we shouldn't redefine "one of our most basic social institutions," but as time goes by, definitions change. Because African Americans were once considered just a fraction of the vote, our country has been forced to redefine itself based on cultural changes. There is no reason to continue to support the one-size-fits-all mentality our country has regarding same-sex marriage. All Americans deserve the benefit of equality and civil rights. Works Cited Bush, President George W. Delivers Remarks on Marriage Protection. February 24, 2004. October 10, 2004. .Find out the facts about marriage. Marriage Equality, Inc. 2002. October 16 2004.>.