Last Friday NOM Chairman Maggie Gallagher was confronted by two representatives of "Get Equal" who repeatedly accused her of causing the deaths of gay teens (watch the video of Maggie's response here).
Do I have blood on my hands?
Major gay rights groups are saying so. Each of us who opposes gay marriage, they say, is responsible for the terrible and tragic suicides of gay teens that recently hit the news.
... It's a horrific charge to levy in response to some pretty horrifying stories. Will gay marriage really reduce or prevent gay teen suicide? I felt a moral obligation to find out.
... The deeper you look [into gay teen suicide studies], the more you see kids who are generally unprotected in deeply tragic ways that make it hard to believe -- if you are really focusing on these kids' well-being -- that gay marriage is the answer.
And that's exactly what the Youth Risk Behavior data also show: In 2001, gay teens in Massachussetts were almost four times more likely to have attempted suicide (31 percent vs. 8 percent). In 2007 -- after four years of legalized gay marriage in that state -- gay teens were still about four times more likely to attempt suicide than nongay teens (29 percent vs. 6 percent).
Whether you are looking at their faces or looking at the statistics, one thing is clear: These kids need help, real help. They should not become a mere rhetorical strategy, a plaything in our adult battles.
Each of these teens is a child of God. And each one deserves better from all of us that becoming a "teachable moment" in someone else's culture war.
Read Maggie's full column here.
23 Comments
Being a teen is hard enough, even more if your gay. If society were to treat homosexuals equally and allow SSM, it can only help to remove the stigma many in society have against homosexuals.
One things for sure, SSM won't lead to an increase in gay suicides and can only help bring awarness and fair treatement of homosexuals.
Carlos -
Awareness of homosexuality is what we don't need. Parents don't need to have their kids subjected to the dangers associated with homosexual experimentation and the heartbreak that comes with finding out that their child has chosen to identify as homosexual. No thanks.
Carlos:
There is no objective proof that being a teenager is harder for gays.
The idea that removing "stigma" is going to have an impact on teen suicide is pure speculation on your part.
Where is the evidence for your contention that SSM won't lead to an increase in gay suicides?
Being gay is not a choice. If it were then those who are "cure" woudl say they are straight and not "ex-gays" which is not straight - as even the leader of exodus states he struggles with SSA.
The human spirt can endure many heataches and abuse - both self inflicted and provided by oppression
It's deeper than just "being gay." Many people choose homosexuality as a result of sexual abuse. Much like when teens choose abortion, they find out the pain of abuse does not end simply because they've ended the pregnancy or ended the sexual abuse. Then they have no escape, because they are told they can never leave the homosexual lifestyle, that it's just the way they are or that God made them that way and they have no hope of being normal. That's enough to drive anyone to suicide.
Dwane:
There isn't a single shred of valid scientific research which proves that being homosexual is not a choice. Furthermore, there can never be and will never be such evidence because by the time that sexual preference manifests, there have been millions of uncontrolled environmental variables from birth until that time. You can pack that myth up and toss it in the trash.
Dwane, you made a choice to be homosexual. Now act like a big boy, take responsibility for your choice and stop whining and blaming others for the consequences of you choice.
Dwane:
There is no credible scientific evidence to back up your assertion that being gay is not a choice. Let's put that myth to rest.
You need to take responsibiltiy for your choice to practice homosexuality, stop whining and stop blaming others because the choice you made has consequences.
Dwane:
Prove that being gay is not a choice.
Stop whining because there are consequences to your choice to practice homosexuality.
Okay, I'm going to play devil's advocate, just a little.
Carlos, if removing stigma alters behavior, how can we be sure that we won't just do more harm to gay and questioning teens by doing what you recommend?
What if making a concerted effort to abolish all remaining stigma against homosexual behavior results in more early sexual experimentation? The rate of new HIV infections in youth is increasing.
Look at one European country of which has had SSM for 10 years.
Violence against gays in that country are only on the increase.
If the Gay community truely believes that SSM would change the way people feel about gay people, then they are truely 'out of touch with reality'.
Stigma matters.
Stigma schmigma. Don't want stigma? Go straight!
-Don:
It's ignorance like yours that feeds the fire to homophobia, anti-gay violence and gay teen suicide. Teens want nothing more than to be accepted and love, when they feel completely isolated is when many contemplate suicide. And is you want proof that homosexuality is not a choice, pick up a updated psychology book or go the American Psychology Association website. People like you fear things that are unknown or different, so you spread hate to make yourselves feel more important, you are nothing but a un-knowledgeable coward.
-NIMBT:
Actually anti-gay violence was steadily decreasing, until the pope changed his stance on homosexuality, where many religious leaders who disagree began to rally against the decision, so much for having faith.
-Jaime:
No one becomes gay from being abused, that's such trashy false propaganda from the 60's. You are born LGBTQ or not.
-Mike Brooks:
Education is clearly what you need. Only after becoming educated can we began to break down the barriers that come with ignorance. If everyone were to see that being LGBTQ is no different from being straight, people would begin to get to know each other. If we got to know each other, there would be a decrease in violence.
-Lefty:
Experimentation happens anywhere, anytime, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. It is the time where we begin to come into our own and truly find ourselves. The rates of HIV for EVERYONE is high because of poor sex education. With better education, people could make better decisions.
The blood of all teen suicides is on those ignorant individuals who believe it is ok to bully and single people out for being themselves. Just because you were too afraid to stand out and conformed to your environment, does not give you the right to take lives.
Remember my fellow NOM'ers. Look at Massachusetts where I live. They made this false claim in MA. If only we allowed SSM all would be fine.
Shhhhhhh! The activists do not want you to know what I am about to tell you. SSM has not reduced homosexual teen suicide in MA. It was a hoax.
Homosexuality is not always a conscious choice - homosexuals twist our words to make it sound like that is our claim - but it is caused in great part by environmental factors.
Sexual abuse as a child, absent fathers, dominant mothers and other parental factors are associated with homosexuality.
Other social pressures up until early adulthood can push us away from our natural heterosexuality, such as gay tolerance programs in school, tv shows such as "Glee," pro-homosexual media articles, and public displays of homosexuality.
Stigma of homosexuality exists because it has been known for thousands of years that homosexuality can be taught and learned.
Don - "going straight" means going back into the closet. Virtually all respected authorities on the subject have condemned the "ex-gay" myth. So unless you have conflicting first hand knowledge..., I'd suggest you leave the subject to the experts and stick to things you actually know something about.
Drake:
If you had a cogent thought it would die of loneliness.
Ken:
Going straight means to cease choosing to be homosexual.
I don't give a rat's patootie what you suggest, Ken. You also suggest homosexual "marriage". Unless you have first hand knowledge of being heterosexual and being married to someone of the opposite sex, I'd suggest you leave the subject of traditional marriage to the experts; straight people who are married.
The Catholic teaching on homosexuality has been constant since the time of the apostles.
Ken and Drake are just always repeating the same homosexual lie. I was born this way and it was not a choice. There is not one piece of evidence that their is a gay gene in your DNA. You chose to be homosexual. That phony statement from the APA has already been withdrawn. A little homosexual pressure and cowardice to political correctness and they parroted the homosexual lie. The APA has not creditabiity.
There are two great proofs that homosexuality is a choice and is a learned behavior.
(1) Go on the Mass resistance website and watch the video testimony from the former homosexuals. Very powerfull indeed. They proved their case to the Maryland legislatures and debunked the gay lie. If you were born this way then why can so many testify as to how they were able to change their conduct. I do not see any ex blacks out their testifying.
(2) Look at the public schools. If you were born this way like being born left handed, they why do the homosexual activists have to go into the public schools and recruit our children. If you were truly born this way then there would be no need for them to be there. They say that they are born this way and yet they have to go into the public schools and try to convert our children to their lifestyle.
Homosexuals choose to practice homosexuality and then whine about the stigma attached to it. When you engage in abnormal sexual deviancy practiced by less than 3% of the country, expect stigma. If you are going to choose to be homosexual, man up and accept responsibility for the consequences of your choice.
Looks like a few folks are using their "Convenient Book of Facts and Statistics" to support their ideology.
PS - God created homosexuals so there would be people you could hate with a clear conscience.
And one more thing - OF COURSE SSM is not going to decrease teen suicides. It is a non sequitur; post hoc, ergo propter hoc. Gay teen suicides are a result of homophobia and bullying.
Gay marriage will in the long run help society accept diversity....with that being a primary tenant of Jesus. Gay/lesbian children seek out support and strength to simply be who they were created to be. When I enter a room, never-ever was I attracted to the woman. I remember as a child being attracted to men. This is not learned behavior,a choice. It is what God has created us to be, as he created all of nature's great diversity also. To deny this is to exalt oneself, to not love others as you love yourself.