The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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November 1, 2012

Pro-marriage-discrimination arguments: Sublimely ridiculous

— Recently, numerous Free Press letter writers have argued for the marriage-discrimination amendment. Their claims are patently ridiculous.

First argument: “we license marriage because of children”[1] — falsely assuming some automatic pipeline from marrying to having children. In reality, same-sex couples can adopt or use reproductive technologies, and voluminous scientific research shows that in two-parent families, parents’ genders are irrelevant to children’s developmental outcomes.[2]

Furthermore, some married couples don’t have children, some by choice, while others confront the unimaginable pain and expense of infertility. And they rightly resent Victor Roth’s assaultive moral hectoring about them violating God’s will.[3]

Second argument: the amendment would somehow “defend” marriage. Again: Really? Against what? After nearly five months’ nonresponse,[4] I’ll shout it from the rooftops: Gay marriage is no “threat” to traditional marriage. New Gallup Poll results show only 3.4 percent of Americans identify as GLBT.[5] If gay marriage were legalized (which defeating Minnesota’s marriage-discrimination amendment wouldn’t accomplish), probably 96 to 98 percent of future Minnesota marriages would still involve opposite-sex partners — and their relationships or childrearing capacities would be utterly unaffected by same-sex marriage, even one next door. 

Paul Bade supplies more ridiculousness, in morally equating sexual orientation (not a choice)[6] with stealing, promiscuity and adultery, which are. Victor Roth, and the Religious Right generally, repeatedly reference “the gay lifestyle” (underlying stereotype: all gays and lesbians are automatically, presumptively promiscuous). A sarcastic responder to Leona Roth’s 2007 letter noted she apparently believes gays are the “home-wrecking, law-breaking, disease-ridden bane of society.”[7]

Vote “no” on marriage discrimination[8] — and affirm that our founding ideals of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” apply to everyone, not just those the Religious Right likes.

Fred Slocum

Mankato

[1] Russell Blaschko, Free Press letter, “We license marriage because of children,” Oct. 4, 2012.

 [2] http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x1236703120/My-View-Pro-marriage-discrimination-arguments-rooted-in-stereotypes, footnotes 1 and 2; and see the 2010 California district-court ruling overturning that state’s Proposition 8 (constitutional gay-marriage ban).

[3] Victor Roth, Free Press letter, “Marriages without offspring differ from God’s plan,” Oct. 23, 2012.

 [4]http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x1647292386/Vote-no-on-atrocious-marriage-amendment, and nobody has offered ANY response whatsoever.

 [5] Gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. http://www.gallup.com/poll/158066/special-report-adults-identify-lgbt.aspx.

 [6] http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x519282661/We-dont-choose-genes-or-orientation; see footnotes 1 and 2 for studies documenting the strong genetic basis for sexual orientation.

 [7] http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x519268080/Your-View-Man-s-death-used-to-portray-gays-as-bane-of-society.

 [8] http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x1236703120/My-View-Pro-marriage-discrimination-arguments-rooted-in-stereotypes.

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