Letter to the Editor: Marriage not just for creating children

Letter to the Editor
April 1, 2004, Page 4

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Dear Editor:

In Mr. Dygert's editorial on March 11, 2004, some disturbing comments were made stating why homosexuals should not be allowed to marry. The article involved defining a marriage as strictly between a man and a woman with the intent of reproducing. While Dygert is entitled to his own beliefs about whether or not homosexual marriages should be legal, the arguments he makes not only discriminate against homosexuals’ rights, but also criticize certain heterosexual relationships.
The first comment he makes is that the sake of marriage is to reproduce, and that only natural conception is acceptable. What about heterosexual couples who cannot have children of their own? Is their marriage null because they cannot naturally reproduce? Should people who are not able to reproduce be banned from getting married?
Dygert also makes the comment that a child with homosexual parents lacks the influence of two different gendered parents. This is not restrictive only to homosexual families. What about those children who lost a parent at some point in their lives? Are children of single parent families somewhat inferior to those with both parents?
It is also stated that an adopted or medically implanted child is not the “fruit of a homosexual relationship.” The same holds true for any barren heterosexual couple. Yet that is not seen as going against the sanctity of marriage. A homosexual couple can love an adopted child just as much as a heterosexual couple could. The child would still remain well taken care of and have a family. Some children have heterosexual parents that abuse them, or are drug addicts, etc. Yet you are implying that these parents are better solely because they are heterosexual. Is it better for children to be completely without family than to be in a family with same-gender parents?
Whether or not you believe homosexuals should have the right to marry, the arguments made in the article written didn’t validate your point. Instead, it insulted not only the homosexual community, but many others who read it. I hope you will take the time to realize the faults in your arguments.

Kamleh Shaban