Maggie Gallagher, president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy and a coauthor of "The Case for Marriage," argued in a lecture Wednesday that legalizing same-sex marriages would result in the overall degeneration of society.
"Gay marriage is not some sideline issue," Gallagher said. "Losing [the gay marriage debate] means losing the idea that children need mothers and fathers. It means losing the marriage debate. It means losing limited government. It means losing American civilization. It means losing, period."
Gallagher told a large audience in McCosh 10 that legislation supporting gay marriage would be an abuse of government power.
"By embracing gay marriage, the legal establishment will have declared that the public purposes of marriage no longer include anything to do with making babies, or giving children mothers and fathers," she said.
Gallagher's speech Wednesday night followed an address the day before by Jonathan Ruach, a prominent advocate for gay marriage. Over the past year and a half, Gallagher and Rauch have debated each other six times.
"I was tickled to hear I was following in the footsteps of Rauch," Gallagher said.
Roughly half the audience raised their hands when Gallagher asked who supported same-sex marriages.
"I think as far as Christianity is concerned, the case is clear," said Teng Kuan Ng '05, a member of Manna Christian Fellowship. "I do think that same-sex marriage will hurt marriages insofar as these marriages will certainly not be able to experience the fullness of joy that a man and a woman are created to enjoy according to the God-ordained model."
Meanwhile, other students voiced reservations about opposing same-sex marriages.
"I respect people's right to disagree on the issue of same-sex marriage, both within and without the queer community, but what worries me is the insensitivity of many anti-same-sex-marriage activists to the extension of basic human rights for queer people," Zachary Woolfe '06 said.
Gallagher countered accusations of intolerance during her speech.
"People like me who think there is something special about a male and female coming together in marriage are now considered bigots," Gallagher said. "But at its core, gay marriage is a question of marriage, not about gay rights. Marriage is not something we've dreamt up ourselves. It was an idea that was bequeathed to us."
Following the speech, questions were asked concerning scientific studies on children raised in same sex marriages and Gallagher's credibility in accepting money from the Bush administration.
The talk was sponsored by the Anscombe Society in conjunction with Whig-Clio, the Woodrow Wilson School, the Projects Board, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and the Pace Center.
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