Social Action Critical Analysis

The article “Gay Rights and the Justice Department” by the editorial board of the New York Times wants us to know that the Justice Department wants Gay and Lesbian couples to have the same rights as opposite gender couples. The changes that the Justice Department wants to bring will help the Gay and Lesbian couples. One example is how Attorney Eric Holder Jr. made “a bold effort... to eliminate the distinction between same sex- couples and opposite- sex married couples in the federal justice system.” By breaking the distinction of the the same- sex couples and the opposite- sex couples in the justice system it will give them more rights. Another example is the Justice department is reaching out to other departments  for helping people, like the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and they are telling them to give the same types of privileges to the same- sex couples as the opposite sex couples.

The editorial board of the New York Times told us this information because they want people to know that they are accomplishing and what they are doing is more helpful work than harmful progress in getting the same governmental rights for gay and lesbian couples. One way that they are able to show the reader is they give us a couple of people who raise awareness to colleagues informing them about how same- sex couples should be treated the same way as opposite- sex couples. Another thing that they do is they share people who have an importance and have an impact on other people. One example of this is how one of the coaches at the University of Missouri shared his story of one of his football players was feeling that he can be more open about being gay, according to the article it “would make him the first openly gay player in the National Football League if he was drafted in the spring.” By using these techniques the authors are able to show us that there are changes in the rights that gay and lesbians are getting.   

For those who are lesbian and gay, if they read this article then they will be able to feel some internal security, they will know that there is progress in getting the rights as americans that they deserve. After reading this article some people can gain that there is still a lot of controversy and argument over giving support and governmental help to those who are gay and lesbian, and everyone should help and support those who are and not let them down like so many people are.