Uh, Franken needs to do a little more study on this report.  It does not anywhere explain that same-sex couples were included in this study. It makes no mention of same-sex couples anywhere in the text. When Senator Franken “checked the study,” he did not read anywhere in there that it included same-sex couples.  Even if the study did include same-sex couples in its sample, the study only looked at American families from 2001 to 2007. This would mean that only same-sex couples from MA could have been considered, as the second and third states to legalize same-sex marriage (CA and CT) did so in mid- and late 2008. During the years of this study, only MA was in play. Nothing near a nationally representative sample. To be included in the study’s definition of “nuclear family,” as Senator Franken claims they are, these same-sex couples would have to be married and both the biological parents of the children of the home, obviously impossible for same-sex couples, or the family would have to include children who were the adopted child of both adults. This trims the number of qualifying same-sex “nuclear” homes way, way down since, across the board, only 2 percent of children in the entire U.S. are adopted and not all of these live in two-parent families, as required by this study criteria. This means that, even if same-sex couples were included in the study sample, the number of same-sex families qualifying for inclusion in the “nuclear” category would have been absolutely minuscule compared with the 99.999 percent of nuclear families in the study that were indeed mom-and-dad families, just as Minnery carefully explained in his testimony.

I’m not, in general, a Franken(or any liberal in general) fan, but when he’s right, like pre-scandal Anthony Weiner, he’s awesome. And this is one of the cases where he’s just right Anti-homosexual activism is such a wasted effort. I don’t get it anymore. I understand if same-sex couples creep you out. They kinda creep me out, if I’m going to be honest. I don’t enjoy seeing two guys kiss. There are many lesbian couples that don’t fit the “lipstick” descriptor that I don’t enjoy seeing kiss either. It’s kinda weird and the thought of them doing more is repellant to me. So what? The same could be said for elderly couples not just in my eyes but in the eyes of many people. But we as a society are not going to stand up and say that because old people having sex is disgusting to us that they shouldn’t be allowed to have sex, marry, or have some of the other same rights we younger people have. We understand that our feelings about old couples are our own perspective, skewed by the fact that we ourselves aren’t old. We know that if and when we become old, we’ll feel different about it. Why is it so hard for people to realize that just because gay people offend them doesn’t make gays the bad guys in this fight? Why is it so hard for people to realize that the line between prejudice and bigotry is when you actually act on your prejudices and try to harm other people because of them, and their activism against gay people makes them bigots?  There are many people in positions that most of us will never find ourselves in. Some of those positions were not their choice. Who are we to harm them because we get creeped out by who they love?

Yeh, Minnesota! It’s nice to know that, even though our state gov’t is in the shitter, we can still count on Franken’s awesomeness!!!

cocoboy: “I don’t understand why I should have to accept a perversion of science and nature just because you want me to. anybody that says homosexuality is the natural order of biology is clearly delusional”  Read it and weep you inert, cockamamy asshole: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animals_displaying_homosexual_behavior

I like this argument. “Gay marriage is rare, so this study was probably looking at heterosexual couples. Since this study was probably looking at heterosexual couples, gay marriage should be kept rare.” The logic is overwhelming.

Cherrypicking studies to carefully interpret in one specific, disingenuous way isn’t exactly convincing. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ long-term meta-study showed conclusively that there is no significant difference in emotional health or sexual identity of children raised by same sex and opposite sex parents. These people care only about the health and well-being of children, not political issues, and they’ve stated their scientific opinion. Done and done.

@Adam The point of the study is to show why it is dumb as shit to keep children out of perfectly good homes and establish “nuclear families” for the sake of adhering to some arbitrary and trite idea of what a “family” has to be. Not to—as this close-minded asshole implied — show that families consisting of a mother and father are the only types of families that produce these effects—which is what Franken called him out on. Of course you don’t see the world that way and would rather those children stay in foster homes where they belong, right? The irony is “conservative” policies are one of the leading reasons we have such a massive problem with children in foster homes who need to be adopted. They are against contraceptive. Against proper sex education. Against abortion. Against gay adoption.  If a gay couple adopts a child that child now has two parents. They will raise him, teach him, feed him, put a roof over his head, teach him about family, teach him about life and teach him how to succeed—just like a majority of other families do. Chances are—because they are gay—they make more money, can put them in better schools, dress them in nicer clothes, and give them what they need to succeed in life.  So no, you are full of shit you inane, regressive piece of garbage.

In this study, nuclear family is defined differently than usual. It is understandable that somebody could not notice the study’s own definition, and assume otherwise. However, being a college student, I know that if I was to cite a source without fully understanding it (especially if my conclusion depended on it) the teacher would take notice, grade me down, and possibly question the integrity of my entire paper.
I would only hope the same standards are also used outside of the school system.

This is for “adam y”, but I want it to be read by everyone. I agree with your statement that the definition of a nuclear family is indeed a male and female. However, the concept of nuclear families was created in the 50’s. It is now 2011. While there was no deceit on the part of FotF, they continue to be so far removed from reality and sociological change that anyone who agrees with these people is, in fact, an asshole.  Gay marriage and the ability for gay couples to adopt is a new right that has been achieved through logic and mass protest. Therefore, the studies of these families is also new. Two parents have been found to always be better than one, regardless of the sex of either. In addition, the reasons for any form of emotional distress is not from having gay parents, it’s from misinformed bigots such as yourself that have impeded the progress of US society. If a gay couple were given the same rights as everyone else, they would no longer have to face a population that does not accept them. If society accepts them for how they were born, and they run their own lives, their children will be just as healthy and happy as anyone. IN ADDITION, for all the conservative ideology’s “keep the government out of individual’s lives” bullshit, is it not rather hypocritical for FotF and yourself to be regulating the rights of individuals?

The definition of a nuclear family is a mother, a father, and their children. It can be found readily on the internet and in any dictionary or applicable textbook, and additionally most educated people should be familiar with it. If this study defined it differently, it was a matter of overlooking the altered, abnormal use of the term, not an act of deceit on the part of the Focus on the Family Representative. Also, as a previous response noted, given the rarity of gay marriage and the even greater rarirty of those gay married couples having children, it is not unreasonable to conclude that the vast majority of nuclear families in this study were traditional, heterosexual, nuclear families. Al Franken is full of shit and so are all the liberals who buy into this crap.