Commentary

Gay Marriage
By Paul Flynn

The arguments pro and con regarding gay marriages, in my opinion, leave out an interesting factor in the equations mainly dominated by religious and political views.

I could not find any authoritative base, that is, statistical studies, showing percentage figures comparing gay to straight in 1900, 1920, 1940, or even to this day. Because of the social stigmas in previous times, there does not seem to be any statistical evidence to prove that ratio one way or the other. Even authoratitive works dealing with society morals or mores are not helpful. For example, the monumental four volume text done at Yale, "The Science of Society", published in 1928 does not even index homosexuality or lesbianism.

So therefore, without any proof, one way or the other, I will take the leap and say empirically, that the ratio of gay to straight has multiplied exponentially over the generations and that the growth curve will continue to increase.

We all know that over the millennia, natural changes have taken place to provide balances to the natural scale and order of things. Therefore, I will take another leap, without any scientific basis, to say that Mother Nature is again at work doing the same thing. I am of the school that believes that homosexuality is not a matter of choice, but that it is a physiological change to the human dynamics. Of course, that conclusion begs the question, why? Why would Mother Nature desire to rearrange the sexual habits of humans? Can we assume maybe birth and population control?

That theory is not too far fetched when one thinks of the future without some kind of control if the demographic projections, and the ability of earth to sustain those projections, have any validity. Is Mother Nature at work here?

Instead of looking at the purely negative side of gay marriages, from a scientific overview, maybe a more positive outlook should be explored. The more gay marriages, the less increase in the population. Gay marriages might also absorb the orphans and unwanted in our preaent society and who can argue against that possibility? Would that not be a benefit to one of our present social imbalances? If we can get over the prejudicial political and religious demagoguery, maybe this theory can be debated in a civil and logical manner.

In any event, we have to recognize and accept the gay culture and work with it to the benefit of all society. To do less only reduces the dignity and humaneness of all of us. Let us not ignore this segment of our society, as we did the slaves, as we did the African Americans after slavery, or as we did the Native Americans, or as we did women before woman suffrage, or as we did Japanese Americans during WW 2. The examples are many.

Our nation is better than that. We cannot continue to treat some as less than equal to all of us. The solution is simple - all we have to do is treat others as we want to be treated. Micah admonished us to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly. Since our religious principles say so, and
our fundamental laws say so, let's just do it.

Paul Flynn is a resident of New Gloucester

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