Rationalization or reason?

9/6/2003

IN HIS Sept. 3 letter, Bertrand Shannon notes that the Vatican wants to see all children reared with a father and a mother, which is the way God intended the family to live ("What kid wants two fathers?"). The Vatican calls it violence for children to grow up in single-sex households. Logically, if that's the case, shouldn't the church be equally vehement at removing children from single parents, who also deprive children access to both mother and father? Shouldn't they demand that widows and widowers remarry immediately so as not to deny their children the experience of two parents?

Just follow the argument to its logical conclusion and its hollowness is exposed. Taking a strong stand against only this one situation in which children are deprived of the experience of either fatherhood or motherhood while ignoring all the other situations in which children are deprived of one of their parents proves that Shannon's letter is a rationalization, not a reason.

ELISABETH RIBA

Melrose