Because a billygoat can't consent to marriage and neither can a child

           


             If one's purpose in life is detecting particularly virulent strains of ignorance among the general populace and attempting to remedy them, then one could say that it was not a life lived in vain. With this in mind, I wish to address an "argument" that is consistently put forth and, unfortunately, not given the easy dissection it deserves and its rightful place in the intellectual dustbin.

             "If gays and lesbians are allowed to marry, then it will only be a matter of time before a person can marry a billy goat or a child!" The reasoning is ludicrous yet given much currency in media such as the Internet and radio talk shows. Why is such a position on gay marriage an absurdity? Gay marriage is the act by which one consenting adult *consents* to marry anothtr consenting adult. In other words, two people capable of rationalization have made a conscious decision to make legal their union, thus entitling them to file joint tax returns, visit each other in hospital, obtain health insurance and enjoy the same freedom granted to those, like myself, who were born genetically heterosexual. Of course, the argument is still out on whether or not sexuality is genetically determined, but I might weigh in with at no point in my life have I ever thought, "hmmmm....straight or gay.....the latter could offer me societal exclusion, possible violence directed against me and widespread bigotry......yeah, I think I'll take gay!" I can testify that I had no more choice in being attracted to the opposite sex as I did with choosing right handedness and green eyes.

                Now, returning to the widely used and decidedly anti-intellectual reasoning of the billy goat and the child being the next to find themselves legally wed, we must consider the essential differences. Billy goats are not capable of consenting to marriage. They are not capable of understanding the very concept of marriage. They are not capable of signing a marriage certificate. As a result, you may not marry your billy goat no matter how much you may love him. The same goes for all animals as animals do not understand marriage. The same situation arises in regards to children. There is a reason why there are penalties regarding statutory rape. These exist because people do not fully grasp deductive reasoning in childhood and adolescence; therefore, they are not permitted the same rights as those who do (i.e., adults).

                 There is no need to drag this on any further. If Adam and Steve can fill out the paperwork at City Hall and be married by a judge, it is impossible to see how this will have any effect on your heterosexual marriage. If you're going to argue against gay marriage, please put aside any rationales involving billy goats and children as you only make fools of yourselves by doing so.