[media-credit name=’HALEY VAN DYCK/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Two prominent representatives on opposite sides of the gay-marriage debate argued at the University of Wisconsin Union Theatre Wednesday evening.
The debate, titled "Why Marriage Matters: Opposing Perspectives" was led by Glen Stanton of the Focus on the Family organization and Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry.
"This debate could not be more timely, given the recent developments in California and Massachusetts and the ongoing discussion in Wisconsin about the constitutional amendment," Action Wisconsin Executive Director Christopher Ott said.
Moderated by NPR's Steve Paulson, the discussion specifically addressed gay marriage, which included arguments of human rights and morals.
In Wisconsin, legislators are attempting to ban same-sex unions through a constitutional amendment, which would require two consecutive votes in the State Legislature and a public referendum.
Stanton, a staunch conservative, opened the debate arguing against the legalization of gay marriage.
"I am deeply concerned for the well-being of humanity," Stanton said. "Marriage is always, without exception, about bringing men and women together."
In addition, Stanton said he doesn't believe any gay relationship is deserving of the same rights heterosexuals enjoy, either in the form of marriage or civil union.
Stanton used philosophical ideologies, historical records and ethical questions as the lynchpins of his remarks. Gay marriage is unequivocally wrong and contradicts the natural inclination of humans for many prior centuries, Stanton said.
Conversely, Wolfson spoke in support of gay marriage, saying it is a basic human right.
Unlike Stanton, Wolfson focused arguments on the belief that gay marriage is a civil-rights issue.
"This civil-rights conversation — like every civil-rights conversation — is about values," Wolfson, who is himself a homosexual, said.
Denying someone the right to marry is discrimination on the order of slavery and the subjugation of women, Wolfson added.
The issue of gay marriage is not one of politics, Wolfson said, but instead one of equality between heterosexuals and homosexuals. He said gays should have the same opportunities to marry that straight people have, including legal benefits resulting from the union of marriage, such as health care.
Both speakers argued the worth of statistical analyses supporting or contradicting their positions on the well being of children raised in homosexual homes. Stanton said he found the results inconclusive and referred to gay marriage as "an unprecedented social experiment."
The public will not know the real effects of gay marriage on society for quite some time, Stanton said, arguing research on children in alternative-family situations — for example, single-parent homes — indicates these families are not as successful as the traditional nuclear family.
However, Wolfson refuted these claims and said evidence collected on children in homes with same-sex parents was resoundingly positive.
UW sophomore Emma Walker, who attended the debate, said it represented both sides fairly, but noted the crowd's response to the speakers.
"The moderator made an effort to present differing opinions," she said. "The reaction of the audience skewed toward Evan (Wolfson), though."