Same-sex marriage continues to enjoy gradual increases in public support.
It’s to the point that if a national election were held today, many believe U.S. voters would approve it by a clear majority in spite of some not-so-gay friendly laws still on the books throughout much of the South.
And while federal appellate courts continue to side with gay marriage supporters, striking down many voter-approved laws, that hasn’t sped up the region’s acceptance.
Take Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, who on Tuesday directed his attorneys to issue a friend of the court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court with a pretty pointed accusation regarding the dangers of same-sex marriage.
The brief, according to the AL website, claims that gay marriage is a social experiment that “destroys the rights of children to be connected to their biological parents.”
This argument echoes a recent attempt that the state made at the Alabama Supreme Court level. In that case, the court ultimately ruled against the argument, stating that it could not show how a marriage between two consenting adults of the same gender harmed children.
Bentley is hoping to have more luck with the highest court in the land.
But as Slate points out , the odds are not looking good for Bentley and company as seven U.S. Supreme Court justices agreed in February that the district ruling would be allowed to go into effect, thus opening the door for gay couples in Alabama to get married.
While that is a reasonable conclusion from Slate , nothing will be definite until the Supreme Court begins hearing oral arguments in April for a decision before the end of the session in June.
As one might expect, online people are still pretty bitterly divided. From the Alabama-based AL website, critics and supporters have been duking it out on largely religious grounds with much of the pro-religion crowd voicing opposition and much of the non-religion crowd approving.
“Gay marriage is the beginning of the fall of human civilization as we know it,” said one commenter. “And yet they only have three tired arguments — all asked and answered.”
“Uh, gays have been around since the dawn of mankind,” answered a second. “And mankind has continued to evolve and gays are still with us. In fact the first recorded gay couple goes back to ancient Egypt.”
As to Bentley’s assertion that same-sex marriage actually harms children, what do you think, readers? Sound off in the comments section.
[Image via AL website, linked above]
