Washington Gay Marriage Ruling
Just today, the Washington Supreme Court upheld a 1998 law that bans gay-marriage by a vote of 5-4. Now, I'm reading this article and here is a quote from one of the four dissenting judges, Justice Mary Fairhurst:
"Would giving same-sex couples the same right that opposite-sex couples enjoy injure the state’s interest in procreation and healthy child rearing?"
Okay, first, the child rearing issue. Could gay parents be good parents. Yes. I have seen that. So I understand where she is coming from on that. I don't think I could support it, but I can at least see where she is coming from.
However, would giving same-sex couples the right to marry hurt a state's procreation... umm, YES! No matter what you say to me, the fact doesn't change that same-sex couples cannot have children of their own. Some would argue that gay and lesbian persons wouldn't have kids anyway, whether they are married or not. Agreed, they most likely would not. However, I don't think unmarried same-sex couples should have children either. I believe that children should be birthed to married parents. It is too difficult for a single parent to raise a child, both for the parent and the child.
Many people tell me that we should leave this up to the states to decide. Well, go ahead. That is fine with me. Why? Because forty-three states already have a statute to limit marriage to same-sex couples. Twenty of those states have passed constitutional amendments. I believe I heard somewhere that the state constitutional ban is ratified with something like 71% of the vote in every state that has put it up for a vote. Many people think we should leave it to the states because people will vote it down. Well, when people say that to me I just simply smile and say, "I agree, let's have all the states vote on it."
Sources:
New York Times article
Status of same-sex marriage
Update: Good map showing what the laws are in each state here.
"Would giving same-sex couples the same right that opposite-sex couples enjoy injure the state’s interest in procreation and healthy child rearing?"
Okay, first, the child rearing issue. Could gay parents be good parents. Yes. I have seen that. So I understand where she is coming from on that. I don't think I could support it, but I can at least see where she is coming from.
However, would giving same-sex couples the right to marry hurt a state's procreation... umm, YES! No matter what you say to me, the fact doesn't change that same-sex couples cannot have children of their own. Some would argue that gay and lesbian persons wouldn't have kids anyway, whether they are married or not. Agreed, they most likely would not. However, I don't think unmarried same-sex couples should have children either. I believe that children should be birthed to married parents. It is too difficult for a single parent to raise a child, both for the parent and the child.
Many people tell me that we should leave this up to the states to decide. Well, go ahead. That is fine with me. Why? Because forty-three states already have a statute to limit marriage to same-sex couples. Twenty of those states have passed constitutional amendments. I believe I heard somewhere that the state constitutional ban is ratified with something like 71% of the vote in every state that has put it up for a vote. Many people think we should leave it to the states because people will vote it down. Well, when people say that to me I just simply smile and say, "I agree, let's have all the states vote on it."
Sources:
New York Times article
Status of same-sex marriage
Update: Good map showing what the laws are in each state here.
1 Comments:
I couldn't agree with you more!
Post a Comment
<< Home