This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I was even more appalled than expected in reading Utah's argument to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage ("State makes it all about kids in brief against same-sex marriage," Tribune, Feb. 3). Despite lack of evidence that same-sex couples make worse parents, ignoring that 20 percent of Utah children are raised in single-parent homes, the argument that this would lead to lower birth rates was crème de la crème of the argument that same-sex marriage is harmful to children.
Will gays and lesbians instead enter into stable heterosexual marriage and have more kids? Separate from the real need to reduce population growth, if intent is preventing children from being raised by other than a mother and a father, Utah should note that U.S. single-parent households are predominant among African-Americans (65 percent) and native Americans (49 percent).
Using this logic, Utah should ban marriage — or sex — among these non-white races, preventing children from being born who would not be raised by both mother and father. Oh, but then this would lead to a reduced birth rate; what a dilemma.
Utah, please be logical, and don't waste more money on such a bigoted platform. Instead put these dollars to use in improving the lives of our children by providing better education and health care.
Deborah Eppstein, Ph.D.
Salt Lake City