Cite the research on same-sex marriage

Jim Finnegan's opposition to same-sex marriage and adoption is based on lies and prejudice that collapse like a house of cards in the first breeze that comes along.

Finnegan claims that “Research is crystal clear, children always do better in families with both a father and mother." He fails, however, to cite this research or its authors' affiliations. Anyone familiar with the scientific method knows research rarely concludes that anything “always occurs." Allowing same-sex couples to adopt would subject children to “a vast untested social experiment," Finnegan argues. Even if this were true, it does not justify putting children in situations we already know are unhealthy.

I challenge Finnegan to tell us what the research says about children who grow up with an abusive mother and father, or with divorced parents who use them as pawns to make each other miserable. And what about children who spend their young lives languishing in a broken foster care system waiting for the loving mom and dad who never come to adopt them? Are we to believe these children are better off than they would be with loving same-sex parents? I think not.

Finnegan assumes that same-sex parents cannot raise heterosexual children, as if this is an overarching goal of parenthood. How is it then that so many straight parents give birth to gay children? Many problems faced by children of same-sex parents are caused not by their family situation, but by those like Finnegan who wrap up their hatred and bigotry in the Bible to give it legitimacy. Lest anyone forget, we are a nation of laws that guarantee equal treatment for all and protect the rights of the minority from being trampled on by the majority.

Sheryl Jedlinski

Palatine