FUSE hosts 'same-sex marriage' discussion
Natasha Pande
Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: News
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The panelists shared their views of same sex marriage.
The main topics discussed were family values and what a traditional family looks like and how would families be affected with parents of the same sex.
All the representatives had different views on traditional family. Philip Moyer, representing Out Law, said the traditional family in the U.S. is a myth, which most of the panel members agreed to with the exception of Lindsey Hoban, representing Crusade for Christ.
Moyer also said, "Gay marriage should be allowed. I think that the nation is ready for it. I think it should be allowed because I don't believe any one group should ever be discriminated against because of completely arbitrary reasons, and so I am fighting for us to have equality with everyone and to be treated just like everyone else."
The second question in the discussion focused on how the panel members thought the U.S. was fairing in this issue. There were references made to Proposition 8 which led the Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples and dismissed the right for same-sex couples to marry.
Andrew Damron, president of FUSE, said Proposition 8 was a testament to the power of the people, a simple majority decision is what passed it in California.
"Millions of dollars went into this fight, a fight where many people are rather uneducated," Damron said. "I will wait for the response from the California Supreme Court to await the final decision of their legal system."
Damron, and FUSE, created the scrutiny of marriage event in an effort to engage the Drexel community in dialogue that would extend well beyond the end of the night's discussion.
"Tonight's attendees were educated in a couple of ways, notably that in order for any change to happen, it is necessary to engage people in conversation, one that has more than a single perspective," Damron said.
He said that education and dialogue are keys in our society.
"It's 2009 and it's time for change," he said.
FUSE co-hosted the panel with Commuter, Graduate and Transfer Student Programs and Services.
The organizations present were Out Law, Drexel Republicans, Student Liberty Front, Drexel Democrats, Crusade for Christ and FUSE which were represented by Moyer, Mike Hess, Rick Schlesinger, Anna Sparrevohn, Hoban and Dave Bria, respectively.
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