A Response on the FMA/SSM Issue

Two very well written engaging and thoughtful posts addressing my FMA post which I wrote spurred on by an invitation from ~DS~ (here and here). I'd like to make a few comments in response. Since I have not the time today to write a organized well thought out reply, I'm going to resort to that ghastly last resort of the essayist, namely bullet items.

• As I had said in my post, I didn't recall the source of the study to which I had referred and as a result was not able to go back and re-examine it in detail. As presented by Mr Kuznicki it is not a convincing study. I am not qualified to judge either way.
• Mr Brayton implies that my reluctance to bring the study forth was a deliberate ploy to hide weak evidence. But, in fact, that was not the case, it truly was me recalling vaguely something I had read 9 months or so earlier. This issue is not a "hot" topic for myself. I've been blogging 2-3 essays per day since I started at the beginning of October. This was the 2nd post I've penned which even mentioned SSM (and I don't think it was the main point of the first) and I'm an Anglican.
• My concern did (and still does) remain with the growing perception of marriage as a institution uniting two adults (for legal benefits) and not one designed for the protection and nuturing of our children. If SSM impacts that or not is up to question, but it seems likely it might.
• As my contention of legal rights, as I said, my impression was that those rights were available to gay couples. Mr Koznicki says they are not. If they are not, that is wrong.
• As for his comments regarding respect,

  Far too often, the gay community has been spoiled, immature, ignorant, and yes, purely anti-family. I don't seek to apologize for these people. In return, I ask that you do not judge me along with them. I ask to be considered as an individual--not as a member of some shadowy, vaguely-defined gay community.

  Uhm, that's exactly the point I was trying to make. SSM won't get my respect. Essays like you just penned, Mr Koznicki, will.
• As for the political points with respect to the President which started this essay off, Mr Brayton insists that there was a strong political push to pass a FMA prior to the election. I am certainly not as sensitive to these issues as himself, but am not unaware of political events. I saw nothing like the push that would be realistically required to pass a Constitutional amendment in this regard at any time. So I think that the idea that this issue was just a cold blooded calculation to get votes doesn't pass muster. As I pointed out the voters energized and opposing SSM where never going to vote for Mr Kerry.
• Finally, at Mr Koznicki's request, I will reconsider my opposition. However, I ask for your patience, I'm in the middle of three other "blog-projects" right now on top of my ordinarily busy life. I will get to it, but probably not soon.
• One more thing, Mr Brayton ends by appealing to moral right. I'm in the middle of a lot of muddled thinking about Christian government, moral rights, and issues like that, which is why I avoided commenting on his points in that regard.