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Title: Gay Marriage : Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America by Jonathan Rauch ISBN: 0-8050-7633-6 Publisher: Times Books Pub. Date: 07 April, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (4 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Best argument I've seen thus far...
Comment: Suddenly, there seems to be an avalanche of books about the gay-marriage issue appearing in America's bookstores. There is little doubt now that the controversy over granting legal marriages to gay persons is snowballing and has become the hot topic of the times. Jonathan Rauch's book is another contribution to the debate and, to his credit, he does provide a slightly different slant on the issue from what I've read in other books.
Rauch, a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, columnist for National Journal, and a writer-in-residence at the Brookings Institution, tends to de-emphasize the all-too-common "equal rights" argument and suggests, instead, that gay marriage would be good for American society because it would increase respect for the institution of marriage itself. To be clear about this, he doesn't dismiss the matter of equal rights but says "I wouldn't support same-sex marriage as a matter of equal rights if I thought it would wreck opposite-sex marriage."
One of the very basic questions regarding the question of marriage is, What is marriage for? He spends an entire chapter discussing this question, which sets the stage for his argument that gay marriage would be good, not only for gays, but for straights and for marriage in general. So, what is marriage for? Well, whatever else it is, he says, "it is a commitment to be there." I interpret him to mean that in this special relationship called "marriage," both parties to the compact promise to help and comfort one another when times are tough, in sickness and in health, etc., etc., which is, of course, a common understanding of what is, in fact, involved in a marriage -- at least ideally. He uses the term "prime-caregiver" and maintains that this is an essential condition of the marriage relationship. I don't think anyone would disagree.
But then Rauch goes on to use this condition and some other benefits of the marital relationship to argue for gay-marriage as opposed to "same-sex unions" or "domestic partnerships," situations which he refers to as "marriage-lite." I'm not sure I buy his argument at this point. I don't think many would disagree that gay couples have a legitimate concern regarding caregiver status, legal and financial benefits, hospital visitation rights, and all the other rights and privileges that opposite-sex couples currently enjoy under the marriage umbrella. I don't see why these conditions cannot be realized within the "same-sex union" designation, without applying the term "marriage" to the relationship. In Chapter Two of his book, Rauch presents his case against my reservation. And, frankly, he presents a good case. It isn't compelling, in my opinion, but it comes close to persuasive. And I am sympathetic with most of the points he makes.
Now we come to a section of the book that one might consider the "trilogy of benefits." In Chapter Three, Rauch discusses the specific benefits that gays will enjoy if given the right to marry and they are fairly obvious, of course. In Chapter Four, on how the straights will benefit, he includes some very interesting material and states some points that I suspect most of us haven't done much thinking about. In Chapter Five, he discusses how marriage-in-general will benefit from gay marriage, and again he presents an interesting argument, one which should not be taken lightly by the opponents of gay marriage. I think I won't disclose any details about the latter two chapters, hopefully providing a teaser for the potential reader.
One of the major concerns that social conservatives seem to have with the gay-marriage issue surrounds the idea that gays, particularly of the male persuasion, are unduly promiscuous and that granting gays the right to marry would fail to change that behavior. Furthermore, bringing this alleged promiscuousness into marriage would harm the institution itself. Rauch addresses this concern and is upfront and honest about it and he should be commended for his forthrightness. He admits there are important problems here and offers some suggestions as to how they might be resolved.
In my opinion, one of the best chapters in Rauch's book deals with "The Debt to Tradition." Here he seems to be at his best. No where else, and I mean nowhere, have I read a discussion about the gay-marriage issue quite like he provides in this chapter. Suffice to say, he brings two of my favorite people into the debate, F.A. Hayek and Edmund Burke (excellent political theorists both), and then the topics of utopias, social engineering, church-state relations, secular culture, reactionary traditionalism, and so on are thrown into the mix, and finally some rational light is thrown on how to deal with, not only the legitimacy of gay marriage, but how to transition to it. (The reading of this short chapter is worth the price of the book.)
And, if gay marriage is to become a reality, how the transition to it takes place is vital. The position that Rauch takes is basically the same as the one I would take. I am already on record as opposing any constitutional amendment regarding the definition of marriage. Messing with the Constitution seems to get us into trouble. Furthermore, I don't think that Congress should be involved in the situation. Rauch suggests, and I concur, that the best approach is to leave the matter to the individual states. Let us "try it out" here and there, see what happens, make adjustments where necessary, and so on. Actually, Rauch's position is very "conservative" and he comes off like a good proponent of "states rights." His next-to-last chapter on "Getting It Right" outlines his proposals and I think one will find it difficult to argue against them.
This is a very readable book by someone who has a deep interest in his subject and has done his homework, that is, the thinking necessary to present a complex argument regarding a controversial change in our nation's social fabric. I recommend it to all those interested in the gay-marriage issue.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great Book
Comment: The book was great, but I'm not going to talk about it. First of all, just to get things "straight", gay marriage is not a "moral issue" (who, after all, is the one defining what is moral and what is not? The people in power, of course). Gay marriage is a human rights issue. Straight people want to control gay people. That's what preventing gay marriage boils down to. This is like a class struggle for gay people. We need to rise up against straights in the same way feminists rise up against men; blacks rise up against whites; and the poor rise up against the rich capitalists. But, on a more subtle note: Although I support gay marriage, the thought has crossed my mind that the institution of marriage itself is nothing more than a huge violation of the separation of church and state. Think about that one!
Rating: 5
Summary: Humanist Opinions Dissected
Comment: I am a great fan of Jonathan's work in general. I got the book today and read it immediately. I was not disappointed. The writing is crisp and entertaining. The logic, as ever, reminded me of children playing with fireworks on a Fourth of July beach. And you may read the work as lightly or as deeply as you choose. No puffy or intellectual language here.
Jonathan's unique claim to your attention, among all the other articles and books coming down upon us, is that his is a profoundly religious work.
Excuse me! Religious? You bet.
Jonathan is one of our greatest proponents of liberal Secular Humanism... which the Supreme Court informs me is a religion. His point of view is so steeped in Secular Humanism that he cannot accept, nor will he raise to the level of discussion, any attitude or opinion not based within it. The proffered wisdom of your particular religious tradition is not worthy of consideration. Tens of thousands of years of tradition is not something of any great moment to a modern and adaptive society. [His grasp of systems theory applied to Hayek is weak but he does go through the exercise.] The box surrounding his arguments is as rigid as that of the screaming sermon of a radio preacher or the latest strident Islamic fatwah. But he is far more entertaining, gentle and polite.
Most other writers on gay marriage suffer from an inability to focus on a single scheme of argument. They leave us, in the end, still confused. Jonathan is quite clear about his scheme, though it takes him until page 94 to make it explicit. Just hang in there. You will be rewarded. For he has diagrammed and dissected the sprawling cobweb of humanist arguments in 196 pages without breaking a sweat. You won't sweat either, save perhaps intellectually as you contemplate his arguments. But you will encounter many instances of the "Ah-Ha" reflex when Jonathan makes some complicated issue clear in a few simple sentences. And from time to time you may wonder from what hat he pulled a particular categorical assertion. All part of the fireworks.
Whatever your opinion on the matter as you turn the last page, you will be far more sure of why you believe what you believe and vastly more capable in discussion... as long as you are talking with, and most of us are, modern Humanists.
Do read this book.
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Title: Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution by Evan Gerstmann ISBN: 0521009529 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 18 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: Civil Wars: Gay Marriage in America by David Moats ISBN: 015101017X Publisher: Harcourt Pub. Date: 02 February, 2004 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con : A Reader by ANDREW SULLIVAN ISBN: 0679776370 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 25 March, 1997 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Homosexuality and Civilization : by Louis Crompton ISBN: 067401197X Publisher: Belknap Pr Pub. Date: October, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: Why You Should Give A Damn About Gay Marriage by Davina Kotulski ISBN: 1555838731 Publisher: Alyson Pubns Pub. Date: 15 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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