The Long Arc of Justice: Lesbian and Gay Marriage, Equality, and Rights

Mohr, Richard. "The Long Arc of Justice: Lesbian and Gay Marriage, Equality and Rights", Columbia University Press, 2007. Philosophy, Politics and Ethics Amos Lassen Richard Mohr gives us a powerful discourse on GLBT rights in "The Long Arc of Justice". Rather than focus on what we want, his focus is on what we need and he articulately shows where we have been and where we are going. In doing so he gives a new definition of what rights are by applying ethics to the discussion. Mohr has been a strong advocate and he was vocal during a time when there were dangers in doing so. His summary of the gay rights movement is not only extremely readable but valuable to the highest degree. By using the philosophical and humanistic approach he assesses public policy and the way the GLBT community is affected by it. Mohr touches upon ethical arguments to same-sex marriage, AIDS and gays in the military. We get a new definition of marriage--"the development and maintenance of intimacy through which people meet their basic needs to carry out their everyday living" and this definition applies to homosexual and heterosexual couples equally. It is the nature of prejudice as well as other cultural forces that hinder equal rights and sexuality has come to play a part in national politics. Mohr's arguments are culturally, legally, socially and ethically based and he looks carefully at logic. Because Mohr is a philosopher his approach is different and it is both an interesting and important study of our rights.

This book was written by a philosopher, not a lawyer or an activist, and has an entirely different approach to the issues he discussses. The writing is lucid, the reasoning is meticulous and the book provides a fascinating perspective on the role of Queer rights in American Society. Well worth reading.