College politicians debate gay marriage

College Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians gathered Tuesday to debate the issue of gay marriage. \nWhile Libertarians and Democrats said the issue at hand was one of rights, the Republican panelists said homosexual couples have no right to marry.\n"There is no right," IU College Republicans Events Director Andrew Lauck said. "There is no outlined right. There is no constitutionally-given right. There is no legislatively-given right that has been challenged."\nBut Matt Briddell, a gay Libertarian, said the issue runs deeper than rights.\n"It's more than just an issue of rights," Briddell said. "It's an issue of human dignity and respect."\nThen the most heated moment in the debate commenced when IU College Republicans Political Director Chase Downham questioned Briddell's lack of rights as a gay man.\n"Hey, man," Downham said, "you have the freedom to choose whatever lifestyle you want."\nBriddell responded, "It's not a lifestyle, it's who I am, thank you very much."\nThe panel, which was assembled by Libertarian Nick Blesch, debated for nearly two hours about the legitimacy of gay marriage, including discussions about states' rights, a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and decisions handed down by what the Republicans called "rogue judges."\n"President Bush did not begin this debate on the issue of same-sex marriage," Downham said. "This issue was brought to the public forefront by activist judges."\nBut IU College Democrats Political Vice President Matt Brunner said the judges have been fulfilling their constitutionally-appointed role.\n"That's why we have checks and balances," Brunner said. "So if legislatures pass laws that are unconstitutional, the court is there to declare them so."\nRegarding the issue of a constitutional amendment, the Republicans said the country may have no other choice than to pass such an amendment.\n"To protect the people," Downham said, "we may need (an) amendment to the U.S. Constitution."\nBut in response, IU College Democrat President Mandy Carmichael said though most Americans disapprove of gay marriage, the majority of young Americans do not. She said a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage would go the way of the 18th Amendment, the article establishing prohibition, which was repealed with the 21st Amendment.\n"Why create an amendment we're going to have to repeal, like prohibition, when our generation takes control?" Carmichael said. \nCarmichael went further to say Republicans were in the business of enforcing morality. She said that process is impossible given the different cultures and religions in the United States.\n"If we're going to start instituting morality," Carmichael said, "then whose morality?"\nThe panel discussed the issue of the "slippery slope" of gay marriage. The Republicans said acceptance of gay marriage would lead to the acceptance of such practices as polygamy and polyamory, or group marriage.\n"The truth is, there is a slippery slope when we talk about gay marriage," Downham said. "If we're going to give gay couples the right to marry, then inevitably, there are going to be other couples from alternative lifestyles who want also to marry."\nBut Blesch said that argument was just a scare-tactic used by Republicans to seduce Americans into relating homosexuality with behaviors like pedophilia and bestiality.\n"The difference is marriage is a contract between consenting adults," Blesch said. "You can't make a contract with a minor, and you certainly can't make a contract with a dog."\n-- Contact staff writer Rick Newkirk at renewkir@indiana.edu.