President George W. Bush wants to hear those wedding bells a ringing – well, sort of.
The Bush Administration proposed a plan to “encourage marriage and discourage out-of-wedlock births among the poor,” in addition to endorsing a proposed constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex marriages, as reported The Boston Globe on Jan. 15.
It’s seems contradictory to attempt to pass a bill to promote marriage and then another to prohibit it. Bush wants to encourage marriage by educating couples about living together and how to get along. Grandmothers and mothers have been pushing the issue on their kids for years. Maybe their motive focused on producing grandchildren, and wasn’t considering that their child may marry someone of the same-sex. They also may not know she could still give them grandbabies even if she was homosexual.
With divorce rates as high as 50 percent, I give props to Bush for addressing a real problem in our society. As most people know, divorce is usually a long, bitter process, and everyone in the immediate family is involved whether they like it or not – especially children. That brings up the second part of Bush’s proposal.
The second part of the plan is to discourage “out-of-wedlock births among the poor.” Children born from unmarried parents are more likely to drop out of school, become depressed or abuse substances, according to statistics found by researchers and reported on the White House’s official website, www.whitehouse.gov. The White House admits, “The limited attention paid to family formation by states is due in part to the lack of knowledge about how to implement successful marriage and family formation programs,” but the Bush Administration is putting money into research.
There may not be research to back the key elements of a successful marriage and family, but most people would agree on one factor – love. Another essential is support. Marriages and families have their flaws and dysfunctions, but love and support are what keep people together. If homosexual couples have both of these things in their relationships, they are not only suitable for a successful marriage, but also for raising a family. It is too general to say love and support are the only factors that promote good relationships, but it is part of a strong foundation for the success of both institutions, which are both a part of Bush’s marriage plan. Homosexual couples can equally participate and benefit from Bush’s program without having to twist words or manipulate interpretations.
Bush’s marriage proposal is written specifically for the poor, a group that includes people of all races, ages and sexual orientations. It shouldn’t matter whether a man and woman or two men or two women decide marry.
The promotion of healthy marriages is inhibited by barring homosexual couples who have no more potential for success than any heterosexuals ones. The only thing that distinguishes these couples is the abundance or lack of male genitalia. What is important is that the relationships are healthy and foster a good environment for raising children if that’s what the couple chooses. Isn’t the United States the melting pot of the world, land of equal rights and opportunities to all races, faiths and genders?
Another point that relates to constitutional rights is the “sanctity” of marriage, as Bush described the institution Tuesday in his State of the Union address. Homosexual marriages are not unsanctified according to Episcopalians or the United Church of Christ Protestants. The Boston Globe reported on Jan. 16 that a major public policy voice for the Jews of Greater Boston and the Jewish Community Relations Council voted that same-sex marriage is OK. The only religion reported to be concerned about the tainting of marriage by homosexuals is some Catholics – bishops specifically. I believe the First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” – I guess we’ll have to wait and see how the Bush Administration works around that Amendment before he approves a new one.
“I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization,” said President Bush, referring to marriage during his State of the Union address. Take your own advice, Dubya.
Trish Bertuccio is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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