The gay marriage debate Wednesday night attracted 350 people,all interested in the differing views presented in the PoliticalScience Symposium’s event.
In support of heterosexual marriage, attorney Kelly Shackelfordsaid, “The parts fit.” Brian Chase, fellow attorney onthe opposing side, responded, “I didn’t know we weregoing to talk about parts.”
Shackelford began the debate by stating that marriage is theuniting of the sexes intended to provide a stable environment witha mother and a father for children.
“It does something that no other relationship cando,” he said.
Shackelford said that every child should have a mother and afather, and because of this, heterosexual marriage is the ideal. Heasserted that gender is relevant and cited studies that show thatchildren raised without fathers are more likely to end up inprison, become involved with drugs and alcohol and commitsuicide.
In addition to those statistics, Shackelford also referred tostudies that illustrated the many benefits of married couples— longer lives, better mental health, financialstability.
Chase agreed with those benefits but said that they were theresult of any stable relationship, regardless of sexualorientation. He acknowledged that children of single-parentfamilies often have difficulties, but two parents, no matter theirgender, can provide strong support and family values.
He also spoke of the transformations marriage has experienced,including polygamy and arranged unions, and said that unfairtraditions should not be continued.
“Marriage is not such a fragile institution that we haveto exclude millions of people,” Chase said.
Shackelford emphasized that heterosexual marriage was beneficialnot only to the propagation of society but also to the wellbeing ofchildren. Chase stressed that prohibiting the rights of marriage tohomosexuals was discrimination and detrimental to society.
Chase said that it is important that the courts protectindividual rights, while Shackelford said the rights of voters were”being ripped out of the their hands.”
After the debate, audience members asked the participantsquestions.
“I am so pleased and excited with the turnout and maturityof the audience,” said Sara Hofeditz, president of thePolitical Science Symposium.
Overall, students said both Chase and Shackelford presentedstrong cases. Anand Sitaram said he felt Chase had the betterargument because Shackelford made comments without solid evidence.Desiree Brown liked Shackelford’s points about children andChase’s statements about civil rights.
Chase is a staff attorney in the South Central Regional officeof Lambda Legal, the largest and oldest national legal organizationcommitted to achieving full recognition of the civil rights oflesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered people and those withHIV or AIDS.
Shackelford serves as chief counsel of the Liberty LegalInstitute, an organization that he founded which fights forreligious liberties and protects freedoms in the courts in Texasand nationwide.
