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Child voiceless

Janice TeoEastern Reporter

OUR support for same-sex marriage equality might be very noble, if we were not subordinating the natural rights of the child.

We form our opinions based on what we see and hear. The strident gay lobby has had no trouble being seen and heard by the Parliament and us.

But who will speak for the voiceless child, whose words will never reach these pages?

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There will always be certain elements in society that are either unprepared or unable to prioritise the welfare of children - which is the welfare of our future.

A responsible government therefore must continue to exercise, on behalf of the whole of society, its duty of guardianship to protect the natural rights of the child.

Broadening the legal definition of the word "marriage" to incorporate same-sex unions would seem a relatively harmless matter of providing a ceremonial and social equality to adults of differing sexual preferences, which would be hard to argue against – but only if we were prepared to close our eyes to the rights of the child.

There is a lot more at stake here than just the definition of one word.

MARK DYER,

Rockingham Beach.