Parenthood key issue when considering gay marriage

Shaun Connolly (Jul 7) berates Enda Kenny quite rightly for fudging on such a key question as gay marriage.

However, he goes on to assume that the stance of Eamonn Gilmore that “gay marriage is the civil rights issue of our day” has support close to consensus and that polls show 75% of the people of this country supporting it. He implies that the jury is in on the issue and that the deliberations and recommendations of the Constitutional Convention whom he disparages as “66 randomly selected citizens and 33 politicians” is really neither necessary nor helpful.

As a campaigner for the cause of gay marriage, of course, he would prefer to rush through the necessary legislation on a stream of emotive rhetoric without allowing the full reality of what is being proposed to be either debated or held to critical scrutiny.

The fact is that people have not been given an opportunity to examine the question and comments, such as Gilmore’s, to set up a PC ringfence that attempts to put further debate off limits. A counter view is made to seem ungracious at best and bigoted and homophobic at worst. However, he will find as the question becomes politically live other views and other voices will not be so easily deterred. They will speak for the rights of children and the responsibilities of adults. They will not allow the fact that gay marriage is all about creating a new construct of family to be hidden.

Gay partnership gives same sex couples all the protection and rights as a heterosexual married couple short of parenting rights. It really is down to that. In any other discussion, the lack of a biological mother and father would be considered a serious privation in a child’s life.

Here the focus is on the rights of adults rather on the responsibilities of parenthood. The frightening custody battles and bizarre scenarios that have unfolded from same sex marriages in the US and Canada need to be looked at closely before we head like lemmings into this brave new world of multiple choice family constructs.

If we are sincere in our mantra of Children First it is the very least our legislators and citizens must do.

Margaret Hickey

21 Castleowen

Blarney

Co Cork