Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

1. Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage in the United States By Ivy Wong

2. The Debate They say I say • Gay marriage is not “marriage” • Denies a child either a blood parent • Gay marriage does provide a child a suitable and stable home • Homosexuality and same-sex marriage goes against many religious beliefs • The definition of words change • Single parents/adopted kids/step parents deny a child a blood parent • Too little time frame to conduct tests whether a child is impacted negatively or not • Not everyone shares the same religious beliefs • Separation of church and state

3. Definition of Marriage “The formal union of a man and a woman”

4. Defining Marriage • Meanings of words change over time (i.e. gay, faggot) • “marriage” is thought in a religious rather than legal sense • Read too deeply into the word “marriage” • Seem to find more meaning in the title than the union itself

5. They say…. TFP Student Action Peter S. Sprigg, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council “A child of a same-sex ‘marriage’ will always be deprived of either his natural mother or father. He will necessarily be raised by one party who has no blood relationship with him. He will always be deprived of either a mother or a father role model.” “Affirming only opposite-sex relationships as marriage thus makes perfect sense. Social science has shown that children raised by their own biological mother and father, committed to one another in a lifelong marriage, are happier, healthier, and more prosperous than children in any other households. Does society need children? Do children need a mom and a dad? The answer to both questions is Yes.”

6. I argue…. Agreeing with Marriage scholar David Blankenhorn I say • “marriage’s single most fundamental idea is that every child needs a mother and a father. Changing marriage to accommodate same-sex couples would nullify this principle in culture and in law.” • Too afraid to change the definition of marriage since its been around for so long • Sprigg is implying a child needs both a mom and dad to be raised correctly….what about single parents? Step parents? Adopted kids? • A child will not grow up the “right way” because of two parents—it is the parenting • Blame parenting for a child’s well being—not the gender of the parents • His claims are based on studies that must’ve been conducted in a small time frame; same-sex marriage hasn’t been legal in some states for long—could be basing his claims on single parents and not same-sex couples

7. They argue with religion….

8. Well…. Rabbi Dr John Romain • “For if they do suddenly start getting pious about verses in the Bible – by which I mean the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament – then they can only do so if they adhere to other verses in it such as circumcising all your male children, as it also commands; abstaining from pork or prawns, as it also commands; not wearing garments in which wool and linen is mixed, as it also commands. If you don’t keep up these, but do object to homosexuality, then you are just doing a pick and mix job, and are driven not by religious beliefs but by gay prejudice .”  Use an indented block quote for quotes of more than four lines.” • If Christians are taught only God can judge…why are they judging homosexuals?