We’re in the middle of the Top Ten false “facts” reported
by Judge Vaughn Walker in his decision to overturn Proposition 8 in
California—a decision that could erode marriage and First Amendment
rights in the entire country. See yesterday’s column here if you missed the first five false “facts.”
6. “No credible evidence supports a finding that an
individual may, through conscious decision, therapeutic intervention or
any other method, change his or her sexual orientation.” (FF 46)
I guess thousands of ex-gays just don’t exist in Judge Walker’s
special-pleading universe. Neither does renowned Columbia University
psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Spitzer, who concluded that some highly
motivated individuals can change their orientation from homosexual to
heterosexual through reorientation therapy.
This is significant because Spitzer is no propagandist for the
religious right. Quite the contrary—a self-described “Jewish atheist,”
Spitzer has been a hero to homosexual activists since 1973 when he
helped get homosexuality declassified as a mental disorder. Recently,
however, they’ve turned on him because he reported the truth.
Dr. Spitzer said that his 2003 study “has been criticized severely by
many people, particularly gay activists, who apparently, feel quite
threatened by it. They have the feeling that in order to get their civil
rights, it’s helpful to them if they can present the view that once
you’re a homosexual you can never change.”
When asked whether the American Psychiatric Association should now
change their position statements that say orientation cannot be changed,
Dr. Spitzer said, “I think they should, [but] they will not be. . . .
There’s a gay activist group that’s very strong and very vocal and is
recognized officially by the American Psychiatric Association. There’s
nobody to give the other viewpoint. There may be a few who believe it
but they won’t talk.”
Dr. Spitzer then acknowledged explicitly that politics often trump
the scientific facts at organizations like the APA (an organization
cited to bolster Judge Walker’s conclusion). He also said that the APA
should stop applying a double standard by discouraging reorientation
therapy, while actively encouraging gay-affirmative therapy that’s
intended to confirm and solidify a homosexual identity. Good point by
Dr. Spitzer. After all, if people can be talked into it, then why can’t
they be talked out of it?
Sexual orientation isn’t like race either. You’ll find many former
homosexuals, but you’ll never find a former African American.
Of course Walker’s “fact” even if true is irrelevant anyway.
Marriage does not need to be redefined just because people can’t change
their sexual desires. Otherwise a legal “marriage” relationship must be
created for every particular sexual desire.
7. “The gender of a child’s parent is not a factor in a child’s adjustment.” (FF 70)
Incredibly, Judge Walker says that this conclusion “is accepted
beyond serious debate.” Citing a study by the politicized APA, Walker
never admits that not enough research has been done to evaluate the well
being of children living with homosexual parents. And he ignored evidence presented by the defense that contradicted his “fact.”
But does one really need a study to know that Walker is wrong? Was
your father different as a parent than your mother? To say no is
laughable. In fact, even Rodney Dangerfield could expose this false
fact. “No respect at all—when I was a baby, I was breast fed by my
father!”
Later in the opinion, Walker makes the unbelievable assertion that,
“Gender no longer forms an essential part of marriage; marriage under
law is a union of equals.” Who sez? The imperial Judge Walker.
Questions for the Judge: Why do you assert that men and women are
interchangeable as parents but not as sex partners? After all, if
gender really is irrelevant to marriage as you maintain—if men and women
are interchangeable—then why argue for same-sex marriage at all? Why
not just tell homosexuals, “Gender is irrelevant to marriage, so instead
of making a fuss, why not just go ahead and marry someone from the
opposite sex”?
Why not? Because when it comes to their own personal gratification,
homosexual activists like Judge Walker clearly recognize the big
difference between the sexes. But when it comes to the more important
priority of raising children, they say there is no difference between
the sexes. Children are just going to have to take a backseat to their
sexual desires. Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse sums up the attitude of
homosexual activists well. She writes, “[Homosexual] adults are entitled
to have what they want. Children have to take what we give them.”
8. “Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are
sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and
lesbians.” (FF 77) Really? Do religious beliefs that drunkenness is
sinful or inferior to sobriety harm alcoholics? No, those beliefs help
such people by telling them the truth about destructive behavior
instead of enabling them with liberal fantasyland talk about how all
behaviors and lifestyles are equal.
9. “Proposition 8 results in frequent reminders for gays and
lesbians in committed long-term relationships that their relationships
are not as highly valued as opposite-sex relationships.” (FF 68) This is not meant to be offensive, but what if certain relationships really are
more valuable to society than others? Clearly, the procreative
committed relationship of a man and a woman is more valuable than any
other relationship in society because it is necessary for society’s very
survival. To comprehend the impact of this, you just need to consider
two questions.
1) What would happen to society if everyone lived faithfully in
natural marriage? Our country would thrive with a drastic reduction in
numerous social problems including illegitimacy, crime, welfare, and
abortion.
2) What would happen to society if everyone lived faithfully in
same-sex marriage? Society wouldn’t thrive because it wouldn’t even
survive. It would end the human race!
This is not to say that such a law would cause this, but merely to
point out that certain relationships are more valuable to a society than
others. The truth is that homosexual and heterosexual relationships
are not the same, can never be the same, and will never yield the same
benefits to individuals or society. No law can change that fact; only
deceive people into thinking so.
If this point offends you, then you have a problem with reality not
me. I didn’t make up the facts of nature. I’m just admitting
them—something Judge Walker and many same-sex marriage supporters seem
unwilling to do.
10. “Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license.” (Conclusion)
The real fact is that Judge Walker fails to provide any “rational
basis” for overturning Proposition 8—no rational basis from the
constitution or common sense. While lecturing the people of California
that their “private moral views” cannot be used to make their laws,
Judge Walker has simply imposed his own “private moral view” that same-sex marriage must be sanctioned. That is objectively immoral and unconstitutional itself.
He claims that the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage
“exists as an artifact of a time when the genders were seen as having
distinct roles in society and in marriage. That time has passed.” If
that’s true, that’s not for him or any judge to decide. The people of
California have said that time has not passed.
Disagree? Then you have the burden of persuading your fellow
citizens to pass a constitutional amendment sanctioning same-sex
marriage. That’s what the amendment process is for! When judges
short-circuit that process, we are no longer a free people who govern
ourselves.
(For more about this complicated and sensitive issue, get my compact
book from which some of this article is adapted: Correct, Not
Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone.)