Debate or diatribe?

Heather Brostrand
RhD student

Dear Editor:

I attended the ACLU-sponsored debate on gay marriage Thursday in the Law School auditorium. Dr. Leonard Gross made his opening remarks within the allotted 15 minutes. Dr. Daryl Dunham appeared to be (for about 10 minutes) an adequate opponent. Then, for the next half hour or so, Dr. Dunham took the audience hostage while he monopolized the pulpit and preached hell, fire and damnation. He actually presumed to suggest that he knew exactly what Jesus would say on the topic. I cannot recall a single legal argument that he presented against gay marriage. He also did not actually answer the questions posed to him by the audience; instead, he blessed us with his personal opinion on the Bible and God's will, as he thought it would be applied today. He repeatedly expressed his dislike of feminists, liberals and, of course, gays and lesbians.

At first, I was concerned that he might actually present legitimate arguments against the constitutionality of gay marriage. It was with a mixture of relief and disgust that I listened to him use the Bible to defend his bigotry, prejudice, ignorance and intolerance. He didn't seem to find it important that our founding fathers, as mostly well-educated Christians, chose not to cram their religious beliefs down the throats of the American people. If Dr. Dunham is the best argument against gay marriage that the evangelical Christians can produce, I look forward to being able to marry any person of my choice (as all of us are supposedly guaranteed the right to do) in the very near future.

Heather Brostrand

RhD student

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