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Mary Parrish
Professor Rebecca Morean
English 100-20
13 March 2015
Where is Love?
Stanley Kurtzs article Point of No Return raises many questions about the
appropriateness of both heterosexual and homosexual marriage which Jonathon Rauch
attempts to analyze in his response Whos More Worthy?. Some of the questions that
make Kurts argument wrong concern children, the symbolism of marriage, and the unity
of vows.
Kurtz argues marriage has to be between a male and female because of their
sexuality. He claims homosexual marriage divorces marriage from its intimate
connection to the rearing of children (Kurtz par. 6). Does this mean infertile
heterosexual couples are unable to get married too since they are incapable of having a
child and rearing it with the same love a regular couple would? Rauch is concerned
with Kurtzs reluctance to put commitment instead of sex roles at the center of marriage
(Rauch par. 11). Whether it is commitment to each other or commitment to a child,
according to Kurtz, every time a heterosexual couple has sex, it is in the effort to
reproduce, and this is what separates the legitimacy between heterosexual and
homosexual marriage.
Kurtz also defines marriage as if it were a shared social standard to which to
aspire (Kurtz par. 4). Why does he talk about marriage as if it were a social status rather

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than a symbol of love? Rauch explains marriage as the core element of aspiration to the
good life (Rauch par. 19). It is not a social status to him; it is a symbol of love.
The final question regarding Kurtzs argument concerns his idea of wedding
vows. He explains these self- created vows will create two different types of weddings
entirely for gays and lesbians (Kurtz par. 3). However, can the traditional vows not stay
the same for homosexual couples? Rauch mimics the words of traditional vows when he
says marriage is about the commitment to care for another person, for better or worse, in
sickness and in health, till death do you part (Rauch par. 8). The wedding itself could be
essentially identical to any other marriage, just with different people.
If people like Kurtz, those who believe marriage is about nothing more than sex,
continue to influence others with their ideologies then the very presence of love may
completely disappear. People are killing themselves because they do not think they will
ever get a chance to love someone publicly. This is not fair. This is not equal. This is not
love.

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Works Cited
Kurtz, Stanley. Point of No Return: Marriage needs a man and a woman. And, an
amendment. National Review. Web. 12 Mar. 2015
Rauch, Jonathan. Whos More Worthy?. National Journal. Web. 12 Mar. 2015