Freedom of choice is a luxury that many people take for granted. One of the most important choices you will make is who you want to spend the rest of your life with. But for some people, this choice is unfortunately taken away from them when they are born into a culture that believes in the marriage arrangement. Such an important decision and choice is not yours, but left for someone else to decide without taking happiness into consideration. Therefore, I am against the practice of arranged marriages because it violates a person's right to make their own decisions. The arrangement of marriage dates back as far as the custom of marriage itself and is certainly a complex subject. In Western cultures, such as the United States, men and women find their own dates, fall in love, and decide whether to marry or separate. These marriages are called love marriages and are based on preconceived feelings before marriage. The majority of mate selections in Eastern cultures are not based on the same traditions as Western cultures, but are based on other factors and are ultimately decided by parents and/or family members. “Romantic love is considered impractical, unnecessary, and dangerous, while companionship and practical love are considered a more legitimate form of affection and bonding between spouses” (Madathil, Benshoff). Thus, preconceived feelings are not taken into account but age, religion, financial stability and social status are. These characteristics may contribute to the final decision as to whether the potential mate is suitable to marry off their offspring. The Home Office Group proposed different reasons why an arranged marriage would...... middle of paper ....Marital satisfaction: a comparison of Asian Indians in arranged marriages and Americans in marriages of choice. " Family Journal 16.3 (2008): 222-230. Academic Search Premier. Web. November 14, 2013. Penn, Roger. " Arranged marriages in Western Europe: media representations and social reality. Problem." Critical Social Policy 30.2 (2010): 189-207. Academic Search Premier. Web. November 12, 2013. Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. California: Arden Shakespeare, 2005. Print.Zaidi, Arshia U., and Muhammad Shuraydi. “Perceptions of Arranged Marriages by Young Pakistani Muslim Women Living in a Western Society.” Journal of Comparative Family Studies 33.4 (2002): 495. Academic Search Premier.. 2013.