The key failure on the part of same-sex “marriage” advocates is that they say it’s about love and equality, or they ask, “How does this hurt you?” But they misunderstand that those defending marriage as the union of one man and one woman are not just concerned with themselves. They are concerned with the long-term benefit for children, families, and communities. The issue is bigger than a “personal relationship.” Same-sex “marriage” simply doesn’t make sense to those who have children’s best interest at heart.
Yes, there are great single parents. But there’s a difference between coping well with unfortunate circumstances in the life of a child and enacting public policy that deliberately deprives children of a mom and a dad.
The non-partisan social science research tells us that children raised in a home without both a mom and a dad are twice as likely to use drugs, 54 percent more likely to use alcohol, 62 percent more likely to engage in premature sexual activity, twice as likely to commit crimes, have 50 percent higher depression and suicide rates, and have higher school drop-out rates.
Tragic. But can’t the cohabitation of any two adults in a home make it a healthy home? No. Whether we’re talking about a single parent or one biological parent and an unrelated parent, all non-partisan research and common sense tell us that children suffer much greater risks when their own mother and father are not present in the home. Despite the claims of same-sex couples that two parents of the same sex can do just as well, there simply is no research on children raised by two same-sex parents from birth.
Television viewers have been and will be bombarded with a tidal wave of same-sex ”marriage” images, but we must remember that these ads and media stories are being used to target emotions—not sense, responsibility, or the well-being of future generations. The groups that have designed these messages have not hidden their desire to normalize homosexual behavior. As just one recent example, a joint statement issued by several of the largest national organizations fighting legal battles for same-sex couples stated the following:
Couples who want to should get married, call themselves married, and ask (sometimes demand) that family, friends, neighbors, businesses, employers and the community treat their marriages with respect. Making the marriages of same-sex couples a conspicuous part of American society will help us get something we’ll need to win ultimately: public acceptance of equal treatment for lesbian and gay families.[1]
Strange coming from the same people who accuse their opponents of trying to force their morality on people. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a “live and let live” crowd. This is a “live the way we want you to live, or we’ll use the force of law” crowd. Religious liberty, despite its unquestionable foundation in American history, must take a back seat to sexual desires. Georgetown University law professor Chai Feldblum, a champion of special rights for those involved in homosexual behavior, puts it bluntly:
There can be a conflict between religious liberty and sexual liberty, but in almost all cases the sexual liberty should win because that’s the only way the dignity of gay people can be affirmed in any realistic manner.[2]
So, would Feldblum object to amending the U.S. Constitution to say that “sexual liberty” is superior to religious liberty? Was mention of sexual preference left out of the First Amendment because the Founders were just ignorant of its greater importance than religious liberty? No, they believed that religious liberty was our most important right.
Indeed, the U.S. government recognizes—but does not create—fundamental rights. Fundamental rights transcend the government and cannot be invented simply because some people desire to use the big stick of the government to force everyone else to affirm their behavior.
Marriage, for example, is not a device for affirming any individual’s dignity. Because the government’s interest in marriage is primarily to encourage environments that do not deliberately deny children the benefit of a mother or father, here’s the question all of us should be asking: “Which parent doesn’t matter—mom or dad?”
One hopes Justice George will consider that question, too.