How to Oppose Your Own Argument

March 26, 2013 

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court was considering a case related to marriage.  This afternoon, I read the following from a CNN online news story:

 

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Some demonstrators carried sign reading "Kids do best with a mom & dad."

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Based on the context of the article, I was under the impression that the signs were created as a means to oppose marriage for same sex couples.  With a close look at what the signs say, however, it appears they make a perfect argument for the benefits of accepting same sex marriages.

 

Yes, kids with a “mom & dad” will generally do better than kids with only one parent.  This is a statistical measure which basically says, if you were to randomly select 100 kids that lived with married parents and 100 kids that lived with only one parent, a greater percentage of the kids with married parents will be determined to be better off.  It is not to say that some single parents won’t do an outstanding job raising kids while some married parents will make us all cringe when we look at how they raise kids.  But, percentagewise, I believe the data consistently supports the premise that kids of married parents will, on average, do better than other kids.

 

Now that we have laid the groundwork as to what is best for kids, we need to consider the following question in our same sex marriage debate:  What if kids with two parents of the same sex are found to do better, on average, than kids with only one parent?  Does that change the meaning and intent of the signs?  If not, why not?  If I were arguing to the Supreme Court in favor of same sex marriage, I would seriously consider using the sign holders described above as witnesses for my side of the argument!  Of course, witnesses aren't called in cases brought before the Supreme Court, but you should be able to get the meaning of what I am saying!