Ed Brayton of Dispatches from the Culture Wars answers an “unanswerable” argument against gay marriage.
If procreation is all that important for marriage these days, with the earth’s population over six billion, then why do we allow marriages between infertile, invirile, or just plain old people? Shouldn’t they have to get the woman pregnant first to prove they can do it? Idjits.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008 at 19:27
The Perpetuation of the Human Species and the Institution of Marriage both involve human relations. As far as human relations are concerned the Perpetuation of the Human Species is mating heterosexual relations. Heterosexual relations is mating the Perpetuation of the Human Species as far as human relations are concerned. If the Perpetuation of the Human Species (i.e., mating) has nothing to do with the Institution of Marriage then how can a man and a woman be married as heterosexual relations? If the Perpetuation of the Human Species (i.e., mating heterosexual relations) has nothing to do with the Institution of Marriage then a man and a woman can only be married as matingless relations. Trying to split-up mating and heterosexual relations as being two different relations is an evil thing to do. AIR TIGHT!
Saturday, 23 October 2010 at 19:16
Well, how many kids have YOU adopted recently?
Marriage is not based soley on procreation. If it were, marriage wouldn’t be necisarry anymore, because to be honest, hardly anybody waits to shag till their married!!
Marriage has more to do with the aspects of being legally tied to someone. To be able to have hospital visitation, life insurance benifits, and you know what else? The right to say “This is my wife” or “this is my husband”
Some guys want to marry guys, some girls want to marry girls. Get. The. Fuck. Over. It.
You’re going to break up their happiness and their should be legal right just cuz thei can’t knock each other up?
Seriously, there are hundreds of thousands of starving, homless, parentless children on the streets because orphanages are too crowded to take them in.
So do the world a favour, and just shove your pretentious beliefs up your arse and leave us alone.
Thursday, 2 June 2011 at 12:42
“Air Tight” he says… Ah, levity.
The only thing this argument suggests is that, if you want to procreate, you are best served doing so in a heterosexual relation (good work Sherlock). But that does not tell us anything interesting or meaningful.
Your argument does not suggest that, from a legal or political point of view, gay marriage should be viewed any differently from heterosexual marriage. Procreation (and evolutionary fitness, which is sometimes substituted in arguments such as this) are not the province of the constitution or legislature.
I guess this is similar to the naturalistic fallacy, insofar as you confuse fact with value. No amount of facts or empirical evidence will ever be relevant to the question of the legality of gay marriage because that is to misunderstand the issue.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008 at 21:20
Fortunately, your preoccupations do not rule other people, who will go on loving and living without regard to your capitalized phrases.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008 at 15:07
Fortunately, I can and will continue thinking for myself despite your lack of a valid argument. For example: Deflection! This isn’t about me! Please address what I say don’t deflect on to me. So, am I to conclude deflection makes the case for Homosexual Marriage?
Wednesday, 12 November 2008 at 19:02
It should be pointed out that gay rights can be comparible to the civil rights of the 60′s. Giving people ,of different color skin, certain rights was unheard of. So today is giving homosexuals the same benefits as heterosexual couples. It may not be under the word “marriage”, but equal rights for homosexuals is coming in the not so distant future.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010 at 08:51
It should be pointed out that comparing Gay Rights to the Civil Rights movement is quite ridiculous. Contrary to popular belief Homosexuals are not being mistreated to the level of African Americans of that period. Of course there are people who are uncomfortable with the whole idea but for the most part gays are treated equal (unless of course your in drag or just over the top) then it just gets really awkward. I am not gay and personally I could care less about most straight people more or less Gays.
However, I do believe that marriage( between and MaN and a woman) is sacred and should remain that way.
SN What is it with Gays going around broadcasting there sexual preference, straight people don’t go around saying “hey I’m straight and I’m proud”. Keep it to yourself, that’s your business.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010 at 22:00
Actually, people are killed because someone thinks they’re gay: Matthew Shepard, for instance. As the judge pointed out in the Cali. Supreme Court decision slapping down California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, discrimination because of racial prejudice and because of homophobia are exact parallels and are both unconstitutional. Any differences between the resulting discrimination is a matter of degree, not kind.
Thursday, 2 June 2011 at 12:49
Sir Josh, you’re confused on several points here.
Referring to slavery or civil rights in this context may be ill-advised, but only because the matter of degree is so great, because their is no qualitative difference; both are discriminatory practices (one much more extreme and widespread than the other to be sure).
So you consider marriage to be “sacred” when it occurs between a man and a woman- so don’t marry another man, problem solved. On the other hand, why would you oppose someone else, who’s definition of marriage is different from yours, from doing differently? Why do you care, especially since you say “I could care less about most straight people more or less Gays”?
Lastly, gays are not the only people who “broadcast” their preference… I don’t know how much straight guys you know (if you are one as you claim) but for my part I make no secret of the fact that I love women, whether its an attractive specimen next to me at the store, or a supermodel on TV- I’m fairly vocal about it, and I know I’m not the only one.
Monday, 27 June 2011 at 22:53
I’ve got some thoughts that I think will help the gay marriage debate:
http://finallyright.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/the-best-answer-to-the-gay-marriage-debate/
Thursday, 21 July 2011 at 13:21
Separate is not equal.