Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Granite State Grousing

The revitalized SSM/civil-union study commission in New Hampshire continues its contentious rolling and roiling about the state. Yesterday, the SB 427 Marriage Commission met in Concord.

It heard largely the emotional and the scientific side of parenting arguments related to the issues. The LITE report on it from the AP is here.

Conservative columnist Maggie Gallagher called straight marriages "the gold standard" of families. She states that no legislation should change that.

Nasty Note: She was one of the hacks that President Bush's staff paid to promote his topics and pretend they were her own ideas.

In contrast to her, Ellen Perrin, a pediatrician from Tufts University, discussed her and others' findings that "there are just no scientifically sound studies that provide evident of any harm to children based on their parents being the same sex." She disdained claims that "children and even the social institution of the family will be irreparably hurt if gay and lesbian parents are given the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage."

She is an expert in the field and has published quite a bit herself. An expanded view is available here.

It is unlikely that anyone who is confused by the concept of expanding marriage, or is simply anti-gay, will choose science over gut. However, a few may begin to think about whether a loving civil union or marriage is better than a toxic marriage of any gender combination.

The report will appear in December from this, as the state senate so succinctly calls it, COMMISSION TO STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF SAME SEX CIVIL MARRIAGE AND THE LEGAL EQUIVALENTS THEREOF, WHETHER REFERRED TO AS CIVIL UNIONS, DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS, OR OTHERWISE.

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