Prof. Blanchard beat me to the punch as I was out listening to Bob Dylan music at a local coffee house. So, yeah, I endorse what he said, except I am on record as opposing same-sex marriage. Just to add three items.
1. As Prof. Blanchard notes, I never used my "four items in favor of marriage as a public matter" to argue against same-sex marriage. It just so happens that Jon Rauch supports three of my four points in his book in favor of gay marriage. Rauch argues (unpersuasively, I contend) that marriage has little or nothing to do with children, but largely accepts the other three. So yes, the points I make (even the one concerning children) can and have been made to support gay marriage. The point on which supporters and detractors of same-sex marriage agree is that marriage is a public matter. The important question then is what public good is served by marriage.
2. Not only is the notion that males are more aggressive backed up by sociobiology, it is backed up by key supporters of gay marriage. Both Jon Rauch and Andrew Sullivan argue for same-sex marriage on the grounds that it will domesticate male sexuality. They are up front with their position that aggresive male sexual behavior is a special problem for marriage to solve. Here is a difference of opinion, however. Rauch and Sullivan think it is marriage that domesticates men, while others, myself included, think it is women.
3. I am against same-sex marriage. I guess that automatically makes me a bigot in some eyes, although I again note that I said nothing about same-sex marriage in the post that instigated so much vile on the part of some. I do think that those who believe that there are no defensible reasons to oppose same-sex marriage and only bigotry explains such a position are living in invincible ignorance. Finally, whatever the merits of the accusation that only bigots oppose same-sex marriage, and those merits are few, I want to point out that, however they may vote on the upcoming ballot initiative, most South Dakotans (and most Americans) favor traditional marriage over same-sex marriage. It is an odd tactic by those who wish to win elections and change public policy to call a solid majority of their fellow citizens ignorant bigots. Those who carelessly throw around charges of "hater" and "bigot" ought to take a hard look in the mirror.
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