Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels

* subsidization of reproductive technologies,
* and fewer children being raised by their own married mother and father.
The religious values of most Americans in regard to appropriate sexual relationships would:
* no longer be legally accepted,
* lead to state imposed restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of expression, and
* lead to U.S. marriages becoming secularized, undermining religious conceptions of
marriage. The public socialization of young people into a marriage culture would be diluted to
avoid suggesting that marriage is fundamentally heterosexual. If the decision was reached by
the courts, a public loss in confidence in the judicial system would result.
The total list of consequences identified by the 40 conference attendees included 23
negative, 24 positive and 12 ‘other’ consequences that were considered important to
recognize. The participants in this discussion concluded that gay marriage would represent
“quite a bit of significant social change, affecting many aspects of society.”
Questions on Gay Reorganization of Society (Kaplan (a) (b), 1993)
In 1993, Morton A. Kaplan, distinguished service professor of political science emeritus at
the University of Chicago and editor of The World and I magazine, wrestled with the challenges
to society being proposed by gay activism. Noting that the issues of gay rights and alternative
family forms generated enormous anger and political energy, he concluded that, “As long as
the family, as now understood, commands the rational and emotional assent of most people, it
is hard for homosexuality to enter the mainstream of American life.” Noting that “We cannot,
even if we wished, withdraw from these issues” Kaplan concludes, ”It is therefore, quite
important to think, through these issues as objectively as possible.”
A series of considerations were raised.
* “Many homosexuals and lesbians are intelligent, honorable, hardworking, and valuable
members of society. Many of them are fine parents…They tend to greater promiscuity than
heterosexuals, but this may be a product of social and legal factors…”
* “No decent individual would desire to see homosexuals harassed or deprived of dignified
career opportunities.”
* “Although it is regrettable that a group of people should pay disproportionate social and
psychological costs because of their sexuality, the survival of the larger group cannot be put at
risk.”
Over the Rainbow: The Gay Battle for Social Reorganization of America. 2010
Dr. M. L. Coppock
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