Same-sex marriage to be hot topic in upcoming Elon debate

Eric Hydrick / Asst. Online Editor

Same-sex marriage is one of the most controversial subjects in this year’s presidential election. Where do the candidates stand on these issues? More importantly, where do you stand?

The Democrats’ Position

Searching Sen. John Kerry’s web site, at www.johnkerry.com, it is hard to find mention his stance same-sex marriage. However, one document, “People of Faith for Kerry/Edwards,” found at www.johnkerry.com/communities/faith/hostpacket.pdf, states that Kerry personally opposes same-sex marriages, but also opposed Bush’s proposed Constitutional amendment to ban them. The document states “John Kerry will work to uphold the civil rights of all Americans, including gays and lesbians.”

The Republicans’ Position

George Bush’s position on same-sex marriage, on the other hand, is rather well known. He proposed an amendment to the Constitution banning these unions by defining marriage as between a man and woman. He has stated that homosexual couples should be allowed to enter into civil unions, which would allow them the same legal rights as married couples (ex. health benefits, inheritance, etc.). Although this amendment was rejected in both houses of Congress, Bush still adamantly supports this position.

How the Democrats should handle this issue

This is probably the easiest issue for the Democrats to use in an attack on the Republican Party. As such, they should concentrate on this topic and attack the Republicans for their position at every opportunity. They should also interject their own position on same-sex marriage. Although Kerry may not support it, he does not support outlawing it. This leaves Democrats with a better edge with gay or lesbian voters than the Republicans. Democrats should probably try to insert the phrase “separate but equal” a few times in reference to the Republicans’ position on the matter. This would turn off swing voters from this aspect of the Republican platform and could convert a few over to the Democrat party in time for the elections. By attacking this position hard enough, Democrats may swing a few moderate Republicans over to their ticket, both bolstering their candidate and hurting Bush at the same time.

How the Republicans should address same-sex marriages

This is the hardest issue for the Republicans to defend. If they can get out of this part of the debate without taking too many hits, they have a solid chance to come out as winners. Bush has taken a hard line against same-sex marriage, and now the Republicans have to stand and defend it. Probably the party’s best bet is to say that it is not trying to avoid giving legal rights to gay and lesbian couples, but rather that it wants to define the social label. This puts a more moderate sound on Bush’s beliefs and makes the idea of defining marriage as between man and woman look more acceptable. Republicans also need to focus their attention on the fact that they’re trying to protect old-fashioned family values, sticking in a few attacks at the Democrats for apparently being willing to let those fall by the wayside.

Overall, this will probably be the most emotionally charged subject of the Elon presidential debate. One major key to victory for both parties would be to avoid giving in too much to emotional rhetoric and try to argue the facts without sounding discriminatory toward homosexuals. All over the country, including on Elon’s campus, stark homosexual discrimination will lead to a politically unsurvivable negative backlash that will spell certain doom for that party in November.