Candidates Weigh In on Gay-Marriage Debate

May 23, 2008

San Francisco—Now that California’s Supreme Court has struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, the controversial topic is emerging as a campaign issue. On her TV show Thursday, Ellen DeGeneres sparred with Republican presidential candidate John McCain about gay marriage.

While McCain supports same-sex legal agreements for insurance purposes, he told DeGeneres, “I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman.”

DeGeneres responded, “We are all the same people, all of us. You’re no different than I am. Our love is the same.” Of laws banning same-sex unions, she said, “It doesn’t feel inclusive…it feels isolated.”

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsome called the court’s ruling a victory “for literally millions of people,” adding, “What the court did is simply affirm their lives.”

Opponents of same-sex marriage condemned what they call the court’s judicial activism. In a statement, Concerned Women of America wrote, “So-called ‘same-sex’ marriage is counterfeit marriage. Marriage is, and has always been, between a man and a woman. We know that it’s in the best interest of children to be raised with a mother and a father. To use children as guinea pigs in radical San Francisco-style social experimentation is deplorable.”

California tends to set trends for the rest of the country. But Newsome said Americans shouldn’t “be paranoid” about the expansion of gay rights.

Both Democratic presidential candidates oppose same-sex marriage but support civil unions for homosexuals.

Sources: CNN.com, Associated Press, abcnews.go.com

Discussion Questions:

• How do you feel about same-sex marriages and civil unions? Should homosexuals have all the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals? Why or why not?
• How important do you think the issue of same-sex marriage will be to this election season, and why? Would you vote for or against someone based solely on his or her moral views on this subject? Why or why not?
• What effects, both positive and negative, might more same-sex marriages have on our nation and society?
• Do you agree that homosexuals and heterosexuals are “no different” from each other? that gay couples experience the same type of love as straight couples do? Explain.
• Should marriage be reserved for only male-female couples? Why do you think the Bible advocates marriage between one man and one woman?
• In your opinion, can same-sex couples be effective parents? Why or why not? How might children raised by a gay couple be affected by the experience?
• How do you handle moral disagreements with peers or authority figures? How do you know when to try to convince someone they’re wrong and when to just drop the issue? Explain.