Synopses & Reviews
Should government sanction gay marriages? Feelings run strong and public opinion is splintered, affecting state houses, federal legislation, religious conservatives, and gay activists. Same-Sex Marriage offers a balanced group of essays by those involved in the struggle as well as social commentators, scholars, and others who have addressed what could be one of the most significant watershed debates in recent history.
Organized into three sections, this controversial volume includes the emotional character of the debate, extensive arguments defending and challenging the morality and the legal advisability of sanctioning same-sex marriages, an edited version of the Report of the Hawaii Commission on Sexual Orientation favoring the marriages, and the commission's minority report rejecting the idea. Featured are selections by Douglas Carl, Paula Ettelbrick, Don Feder, Ed Fallon, David B. Hershenov, Anthony C. Infand, Jeff Jordan, Elizabeth Kristol, Daniel Maguire, Richard Mohr, Dwight J. Penas, Christine Pierce, Richard Posner, William Satire, Andrew Sullivan, Cass Sunstein, and James Q. Wilson.
Table of Contents
The Defense of Marriage Act -- The emotional dimensions of the debate -- The philosophical arguments -- The Hawaii case.