To the editor:
Cheney’s recent comment regarding gay marriage (“…freedom
means freedom for everyone”) reflects divisions both within the
administration and the United States over government’s role in
society. Clearly, when someone engages in behavior that endangers
others, it is reasonable that society – through government – take
action to prevent such behavior. Where is the parallel for gay
marriages?
Some have argued that allowing gay marriages would damage the
institution itself, or harm children raised by such couples. Yet
the available evidence suggests that when a legal option exists, as
in the Netherlands, same-sex marriages are significantly more
stable than heterosexual marriages (google “Darren Spedale” and
“sfgate.com” for an informative San Francisco Chronicle article).
And a review of parenting studies by the American Psychological
Association concluded that “there is no evidence to suggest that
lesbians and gay men are unfit to be parents or that psychosocial
development among children of gay men or lesbians is compromised in
any respect….” (http://www.apa.org/pi/parent.html).
Our own Declaration of Independence asserts our rights to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In order to prevent harm to
others we must sometimes place limits on individuals’ pursuit of
happiness. But when no harm is done, whether we approve or
disapprove, it is our duty to actively support the aforementioned
rights, lest we erode our own. Furthermore, when we aid
heterosexual couples in their pursuit of happiness by granting them
the rights afforded by marriage (such as estate control, tax
benefits, medical decision-making, etc.) we are bound by
constitutional law to not discriminate against same-sex couples
that choose to make that same commitment to each other and to
society.
Joe Fass
Post-doctoral researcher
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.