Are opponents of same-sex marriage forcing same-sex families to pursue legal strategies that could be more damaging to the traditional conception of family than same-sex marriage itself? That’s the provocative thesis of Dale Carpenter at Independent Gay Forum. It’s worth a read, especially in light of my post Tuesday about families with more than two parents. He concludes:
Think of it this way: Gay families are a rising river stretching across the country. Conservative opposition to gay marriage is a dam blocking the way. Impeded in its natural course, the river does not dry up; its flow is simply deflected into a hundred rivulets and low pastures.
Many conservatives may conclude in the end that the collateral damage being done to stability and tradition is worth it to keep gay couples from marrying. But before family policy is further inundated, they should at least weigh the unconservative consequences.
Whether such consequences are good or bad is a matter of opinion. Dale sits farther to the right than I do on this one, but gives us all much to ponder.