Rogerian Argument Draft

Troy Patterson
Dani Bowlden
Rogerian Argument Draft

    Dear Ms. Sycamore,
Marriage may seem like a failed institution and may be a “narrow focus” on marriage which allows for gays to conform to the notion of a long term monogamous relationship simply for the benefits it entails. The majority of the gay movement is centered around assimilating into “straight privilege” and that its all about cultural erasure. I see where this is coming from with a lot of marriages failing in the U.S. with 3.6 divorces per 1,000 population and 6.8 marriages per 1,000 population, so just under half of marriages fail (CDC).
    However, even if this is a “failing institution” that should not preclude gays, or queers as you prefer, from getting married and being recognized as a couple. Being a part of a dominant institution is what the gay rights movement was all about, to not be excluded just because they loved someone of the same gender. The gay movement started simply trying to get equal recognition from the state so that they may receive equal rights such as visiting loved ones in the hospital and healthcare so, there is no cultural erasure occurring. Quite simply I believe that if two people, no matter the gender or transgender, believe they want to spend the rest of their lives together or just need the benefits, they should be allowed to enter into a state recognized relationship or marriage. Straight privilege, which you claim to be the narrow goal of gays, is something that shouldn't be labeled the way you have labeled it. The things you claim to be of straight privilege are things that should be basic rights to any one who is in or wants to be in a long term monogamous relationship. So what I offer as a compromise is that you recognize the fact that the gay movement isn't as big of a deal, meaning not many are opposed to it any more and that its much more widely accepted so the radicals aren't necessary and I will recognize the fact that yes marriage is a failing institution. But, I will continue to hope that gays will support it positively by staying with the one they love and staying true to their promise of a lifelong commitment even if that may not always be the case with straight couples.

            Sincerely Yours,
                Troy Patterson
   

Article featuring the person I wrote the Rogerian Argument against is here:
http://www.npr.org./templates/story/story.php?storyId=127740436

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ - Zach Wahls talking about how his two moms didn't affect him negatively and that it was their commitment to each other.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/divorce.htm CDC; stats on marriage and divorce rates.