If you believe marriage or family life would be undermined, please state how? I have almost never heard these reasons listed or discussed. HARM to society, only please. I have another question for the opposite view. Thanks.
2006-09-19 04:43:47 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
I'm talking about in the US
2006-09-19 04:44:38 · update #1
People have said that it undermines what was once considered the main purpose of marriage - to recognize, support and subsidize a man and a woman raising their children. Society has made a determination that all things being equal a child is best raised by its biological parents.
Yes, couples can get married and not have children; infertility used to be grounds for divorce, but the law has been changed. Actually, you don't need any "reason" for divorce anymore in most states - "no fault" divorce has made the whole process much easier. The ease of divorce and the removal of stigma from unmarried, single parenthood have indeed weakened the link between marriage and child-rearing. (I won't even get into abortion.) But has this made society better or worse?
Homosexual activity has also been linked to major health problems. People will argue that government should try to discourage, not encourage, such behavior - that it's like subsidizing the purchase of low-tar cigarettes for smokers, rather than getting them to quit. Again, that's the argument..
There's also the idea of "not in my name" - people don't want their tax money (in the form of insurance, social security, etc.) going for something they consider extremely objectionable. Very simply, people have definite ideas on how they want society to work, what kind of country they want to live in. Many things don't affect me directly - but I have opinions on them, and I work to influence elected officials to enact laws I want. Polygamous marriage does not affect me directly. The Iraq war does not affect me directly - arguably just the volunteer soldiers and their loved ones. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s didn't affect me directly (I am white), but I'm glad it happened!
Society can and should have this debate. What is a family? What do we want to protect? I do not like courts to make up the rules, though. We are not ruled by kings and queens. Any "analogy" to interracial marriage is false. Men and women ARE different (equal, but different), and no amount of law will make them identical. If a law limiting marriage to a man and a woman is illegal discrimination, then why are separate men's and women's restrooms in government buildings not illegal segregation?
Notice I didn't mention religion once. I have my beliefs, but we live in a society where everyone has their own. So I have "made the case" in a way that I think everyone can understand, although of course people disagree.
2006-09-19 04:46:30 · answer #1 · answered by American citizen and taxpayer 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
But thats just the point isn't it? It does no harm to society, and equally it doesn't help society. This nation wasn't founded on what is good for society as a whole, it was founded on individual rights and freedoms.
2006-09-19 11:51:19 · answer #2 · answered by notme 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Maybe it would be like hetrosexuals demanding floats in the gay parades. Or better yet, hetrosexuals demanding to have strait parades and strait pride day.
How would that harm anything- as well? It wouldn't.
2006-09-19 11:49:56 · answer #3 · answered by profile image 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the only harm is that it would piss off fundamentalist
and i got no problem with that.
2006-09-19 11:54:59 · answer #4 · answered by Mr.happy 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
coragryph is with you on this. he believes you should be able to marry another man and consumate the marriage and get pregnant too.
2006-09-19 11:50:14 · answer #5 · answered by Super Shiraz 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
harmed? lol
2006-09-19 11:48:16 · answer #6 · answered by Chris™ 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It wouldn't be.
2006-09-19 11:46:29 · answer #7 · answered by Karrien Sim Peters 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋