Wisconsin Forums

[plathrop]

Your arguments could be a bit more convincing if you were posting research from a scientific institution with a less obvious agenda. Let's take a look at some of these statements.

Homosexuals experience a greater rate of promiscuity

Men experience a greater rate of promiscuity than women. Thus, men shouldn't be allowed to marry?

Homosexuals experience a greater rate of substance abuse

• Victims of chronic mental illness experience a greater rate of substance abuse. http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/c...act/40/10/1041
  Women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (such as women who were abused as children) experience a greater rate of substance abuse. http://www.seekingsafety.org/7-11-03...pa%2010-03.pdf.
  In fact, both men AND women who have been abused as children experience a greater rate of substance abuse. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Citation
  And while we are talking about such wonderful family values, persons whose parents are substance abusers experience a greater rate of substance abuse. http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/con...ract/55/11/973 and http://journals.cambridge.org/action...line&aid=10529

Thus, victims of chronic mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or child abuse should not be allowed to marry?

Homosexuals experience a greater rate of partner abuse

• Victims of chronic mental illness experience a greater rate of partner abuse. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/155/1/131
  Low-income people experience a greater rate of partner abuse. http://www.springerlink.com/content/x766j1303q013130/ and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Citation
  Children who have been exposed to partner abuse experience a greater rate of partner abuse. http://www.apa.org/journals/releases/ccp714741.pdf

Thus, victims of chronic mental illness, children exposed to partner abuse, and low-income persons should not be allowed to marry?

Homosexuals experience a greater rate of incest towards children

By this I can only assume you mean sexual abuse of a child (whether it's incest or not is irrelevant, it's evil either way).

Guess what. The biggest perpetrators of child sexual abuse are:

• Men. http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/vol4no2ART2.pdf
  Victims of abuse. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Citation

So, men and sexual abuse victims shouldn't be allowed to marry?

Homosexuals experience a greater rate of mental health problems

Mental health problems are highly prevalent among the poor (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Citation and https://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications...aper2_0497.htm) and victims of abuse ( http://www.springerlink.com/content/k5713n4325822p24/ ).

So, of course we shouldn't allow the poor or the abuse victims marry.

Homosexuals experience a greater risk of suicide

Here is where your argument seriously falls apart. The worst risk factors for suicide include cohabiting or being unmarried! That's right - homosexuals commit suicide because we won't let them get married! (http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/160/4/765).

The usual other factors are noted in that article as well, lending force to the fact that your arguments would require us to ban all of these people from marrying:

• Men
  Victims of mental illness
  Abuse victims
  Poor people

The fact of the matter is that none of this matters to you because this isn't about logic, equality, reason, or even adherence to the religious principles you no doubt pretend to hold. It's idiocy. Why does this scare you so much? Is your marriage really so unstable that it will fall apart if others are allowed to hold the same status? Or are you unmarried and thus completely unqualified for this discussion?