CultureWatch 19 Feb 2012
Myth One: Discrimination
One complaint often made by homosexuals is that they are being discriminated against under current marriage laws, and they are being denied their rights. But these arguments are as fallacious as they are common. The truth is, no one has the kind of equality that the homosexual activists are clamouring for here. Indeed, homosexuals are no more (and no less) being discriminated against here than are all kinds of other people.
Myth Two: Homophobia
One of the most common objections is of course no objection at all; it is just a case of name calling. Instead of dealing with facts and evidence, and actually making a cogent argument, the homosexual activists will usually just resort to ad hominem attacks, verbal abuse, and mud-slinging.
Myth Three: The race card
Another way the activists seek to deceive the public is to use faulty analogies. For example, many advocates of SSM will raise the issue of racial segregation and policies which prevented people of different races from marrying (anti- miscegenation laws). They claim that just as we now have renounced such discriminatory laws regarding marriage between the races, so too we should stop the restriction on same-sex marriage. But there is simply no comparison between racist laws and defending heterosexual marriage. Even black activists have rejected such a disingenuous analogy. For example, Jesse Jackson told a group of Harvard Law School students in 2004 that “gays were never called three-fifths human in the Constitution, and they did not require the Voting Rights Act to have the right to vote.”
Myth Four: Equality
For all the talk about equality and the like, the truth is, there is no law anywhere preventing homosexuals from marrying. Anyone can marry, provided they meet the criteria for marriage. Those who do not meet these criteria are: minors, blood relatives, groups, those already married, and so on. To get married you must meet the qualifications of marriage. The primary qualification of course is to have two people, one from each gender. These restrictions apply equally to everyone, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Thus there is no discrimination here.
Myth Five: Childless heterosexual couples
Activists will often raise the issue of heterosexual couples who do not have children, stating that marriage isn’t just about having children, so they should be included. But marriage is certainly always open to the possibility of children, even though for various reasons not all marriages will result in children. One commentator offers this insight on the relationship of marriage to reproduction: just turn the question around. That is, instead of asking “whether actual reproduction is essential to marriage, ask this: If marriage never had anything to do with reproduction, would there be any reason for the government to be involved in regulating or rewarding it?” Governments do not determine who your best friend should be. But when the possibility of children arises, then governments and societies are greatly concerned.
Conclusion
If these are among the best objections that the activists can raise, then it seems their case for SSM is very weak indeed. None of their objections in any way make the case for destroying the institution of marriage by including homosexual couples. 🙂
Excellent article – read it all – http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2012/02/19/dispelling-the-same-sex-marriage-myths/
