Steve Young's family up against Mormon church on Prop. 8

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I still have yet to hear a persuasive argument as to why homosexuality is wrong or how gay marriage is harmful to society. I've heard, "it's unnatural and so it's wrong" (the very same argument advanced with respect to interracial marriages). Homosexuality is "natural" insofar as people are born gay. Additionally, people do a lot of "unnatural" things which are, by all accounts, not immoral. Flying in a steel object at 30,000 feet at 400 miles per hour isn't "natural," but that doesn't make flying from D.C. to L.A. on US Airlines immoral. So, even if homosexuality is "unnatural," that doesn't make it wrong.

I've also heard that homosexuality and gay marriage are wrong because they accelerate the decay of social values (again, the very same argument advanced with respect to interracial marriage). That's conclusory and circular "logic" at its worst. What values does gay marriage erode, the importance of making a lifelong commitment to your partner?

I've also heard gay marriage is wrong, but it's difficult to articulate why it's wrong. I can articulate why murder, rape, robbery, fraud, etc. are wrong, so why can't opponents of homosexuality/gay marriage do the same? Because they can't.

I've also heard that homosexuality and gay marriage have been deemed immoral for thousands of years, as if that is somehow proof positive of immorality. Slavery existed for thousands of years, and still does in some places. Women were treated as property for thousands of years, and still are in many areas of the globe. Tradition isn't always a good thing. In fact, all too often tradition is used as a hollow justification for denying people access to rights that all people should enjoy.

I've also heard that gay marriage is dangerous because it could, possibly, someday lead to all sorts of crazy relationships (e.g., "If we allow gay marriage, we'll end up allowing people to marry a can of spam!"). Address each issue on the merits. Slippery slope arguments are, in general, pretty weak and this one is no exception.

Basically, opposing gay marriage or homosexuality in general comes down to intolerance and a paternalistic and perverse desire to impose personal sexual preferences on the rest of society.