“This narrow focus of the‭ [‬homosexual‭] ‬couple dominates even the campaign of legal recognition of gay marriage....They demand these‭ “‬benefits‭” ‬and other‭ “‬rights,‭” ‬the legal side effects that accrue to marriage that rarely on the table when a man and woman decide to wed.‭” ‬There is no doubt,‭ ‬that in most cases this is absolutely true. I've never seen or heard of a heterosexual couple consider marriage simply for legal benefits. However,‭ ‬here is something that this idea neglects to acknowledge:‭ ‬it's not all about the legal benefits. 

	Heterosexuals may not think twice about the legal benefits of marriage because it's a given for them.‎ ‏But for homosexual couples,‭ ‬in places that they can't marry,‭ ‬it's not a given,‭ ‬at least not entirely. If homosexual couples automatically received these things with some sort of union,‭ ‬I really don't think that they'd think about the legal aspect any more than any heterosexual couple. Just to clear things up,‭ ‬I would also like to add that a civil union or domestic partnership does not necessarily grant all the same rights as marriage. It can include hospital rights,‭ ‬tax right,‭ ‬things of that nature. However two important rights that are missing or lacking exist. First of all the issue of children. If one partner were to die,‭ ‬or the partners were to split up,‭ ‬though they may have a legal agreement,‭ ‬if the two are not legally married,‭ ‬it is much easier to contest guardianship and things of that nature. The second issue is that of inheritance. If one,‭ ‬or two married partners is to die,‭ ‬the state grants the surviving partner what is willed to them,‭ ‬tax free. This is not a liberty granted to anyone in any civil union or domestic partnership. It is only a marriage right. This can translate into one partner losing their house,‭ ‬because that partner can't afford to pay the taxes due after the partner owning the house dies. 

	Another theory as to why gay marriage is a threat to the American family is that gay marriage opens up the door to polygamy.‎ ‏In an article written by Bernadette Malone,‭ ‬she insists that the push for legalizing gay marriage will‭ “‬put society on a‭ '‬slippery slope‭' ‬down which it will tumble until there is nothing left of the institution of marriage.‭” ‬Here is the problem with that idea. Though it sounds good on paper,‭ ‬and has in fact convinced a great many people,‭ “‬slippery slope‭” ‬is also known as the‭ “‬slippery slope fallacy.‭” ‬That is,‭ ‬by the laws of logic,‭ ‬a completely invalid though process,‭ ‬that if one thing happens,‭ ‬it will trigger a chain reaction to more and more horrible events. It is a fallacy because it is not supported by deductive or inductive reasoning,‭ ‬rather it's based on fear.
‎	‏One issue that I take very seriously,‭ ‬that argues against gay marriage,‭ ‬is the possible effects on children. The basic concept here is that marriage is for children,‭ ‬to help them develop,‭ ‬and to model how they are supposed to behave in a family.
