Reasons for marriage

I have read and re-read Matthew J. Franck's "It's Not About Hating Gays" (Dec. 28) and can only identify two arguments by him against same-sex marriage: " . . . marriage has always existed in order to bring men and women together so that children will have mothers and fathers," and " . . . same-sex marriage is not an expansion but a dismantling of the institution."

As to the first, tell it to Elton John (who recently had a child by surrogate with his husband) and a whole lot of other people in the same boat. Now all we have to do is find a way to nullify marriages where the man and woman couldn't, or decided not to, have or adopt children.

As to the second, others disagree. On the issue of "majorities," please note that anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the courts at a time where neither public opinion nor legislation would have ever accomplished that goal.

BRUCE L. WILDER
Attorney
Downtown