William Blent: No rational argument against same-sex marriage

Today’s challenge: Give a rational and factual argument against same-sex marriage that is not based on religious beliefs and can’t be equally applied to some opposite-sex marriages.

Example #1: “Marriage is for procreation.” This argument fails on several points.  No such requirement appears in any legal basis for marriage.  Also, not all heterosexual couples can or want to have children, and same-sex couples can have children.

Example #2: “Children do better in families with a male and female parent.” This is not substantially supported by research.  Even if we assume that statement is true, is it grounds for not allowing a marriage?  I would argue that children do better in families with parents who do not drink alcohol, so should we not allow people who drink to marry?  And regardless of the “average” case, there is a wide overlap between “good” and “bad” parents among drinkers and non-drinkers just as there is a wide overlap between “good” and “bad” parents among heterosexual and homosexual parents.

Example #3: “The government would force religions to accept behavior that the religion views as immoral.”  That’s not true: a church already is not required by the government to marry just any couple that wants to be married there.  Perhaps it would greatly simplify things if ALL couples that wanted to have their relationship recognized by the government (and receive all the associated legal privileges) would be defined as “civil unions.” Then, each religion could define “marriage” however it sees fit without any government intrusion.

So, if no reasonable arguments can be provided, then we should recognize and all admit that opposition to same-sex marriages is invalid, irrational, and goes against our country’s founding principles of equal rights for all Americans – “We The People”.

Issue settled.  Legalize it and let’s move on.

William Blent
Denver