“And did you know, Dr. Newkirk, that there’s currently a two-point-five-million-dollar study underwritten by the National Institutes of Health to do genetic screenings of a thousand pairs of gay brothers, in order to better understand the genetic component of homosexuality? You and I both know that government rarely muddies its hands in research regarding sexuality, Doctor. Wouldn’t this suggest that even an esteemed institution like the NIH is validating the biological basis for homosexuality?”
“Anyone can have a hypothesis, Ms. Moretti. Research, though, doesn’t always back it up.”
“Then how about Dr. William Reiner, at the University of Oklahoma,” Angela asks. “Are you aware that he’s studied hundreds of cases of children born with sexual differentiation disorders—such as a baby boy with an undeveloped penis or no penis at all? Typical protocol has involved surgery to castrate the infant, who is then raised as a girl. Did you know, Doctor, that not a single one grew up to be sexually attracted to males? That the majority of those gender-reassigned babies transitioned back to being males, because they were sexually attracted to women? I’d say that’s a very clear example of nurturenottrumping nature, wouldn’t you?”
“Counselor,” the psychologist says, “I assumeyouare familiar with Darwin’s principle of natural selection?”
“Of course.”
“Then you know that it’s an established scientific belief that the primary goal for all species is to pass along the strongest genes to future generations. Since homosexuals produce only twenty percent of the offspring that heterosexuals do, wouldn’t this gay gene you’re suggesting have long been wiped out by natural selection?” She smiles. “You can’t play the biology card if you can’t justify that.”
The lawyer brushes off her comment. “I’m just a humble attorney, Dr. Newkirk. I wouldn’t presume to dabble in either scienceorpseudoscience. Now, one of your justifications for raising children in heterosexual unions is that not having both a mother and father is problematic, correct?”
“Yes.”
“So if one parent in a heterosexual couple dies, is it your position to advocate removing the child and putting him in the home of a different heterosexual couple?”
“That would be ludicrous. Theoptimalliving situation for any child involves having both a mother and a father, but obviously that can’t always be the case. Tragedies happen.”
“Such as keeping an embryo from going to its biological mother?”
“Objection—”
The judge frowns. “Sustained.”
“I’ll withdraw,” Angela Moretti says.
“Actually, I’d like to answer,” Dr. Newkirk says. “I can point Ms. Moretti to numerous studies that prove a boy who grows up without a father is more likely to become a delinquent, and to end up incarcerated.”
“What about your claim that same-sex marriage opens the door for polygamy? In the years since gay marriage has been legal in Massachusetts, has anyone petitioned the legislature for a polygamist union?”
“I don’t follow the legislation in that state . . .”
“I’ll help you out. The answer’s no,” Angela says. “And no one’s asked to get married to a rock or a goat, either.” She begins to tick off points on her fingers. “Let me just sum up what I’m hearing from you, Dr. Newkirk. Homosexual parenting leads to all sorts of devastating developmental downfalls for the children involved. Homosexuality isn’t innate, it’s learned. If you have homosexual parents, you’re likely to experiment with homosexual relationships. If you grow up with heterosexual parents, you will grow up to be heterosexual.”
The psychologist nods. “That’s about right.”
“Then maybe you can explain something else to me,” Angela Moretti says. “How come most gay people have straight parents?” She turns around and walks back to her seat while the psychologist is still trying to find a response. “Nothing further.”
Angela Morettireallydoesn’t want Pastor Clive to take the stand. “Your Honor,” she says, “if Mr. Lincoln is a character witness for Max Baxter, there’s no need to qualify him as an expert in his field. The study of Max Baxter is not an academic discipline.”
“Pastor Clive is a religious leader and scholar,” Wade argues. “He’s traveled all over this country preaching the word of God.”
“And you know the one place he can’t preach it? In a court of law,” Angela replies.
“I think I want to hear what he has to say,” Judge O’Neill says.
“Of course you do,” Angela mutters.
The judge scowls. “I beg your pardon, Counselor?”
She looks up. “I said I’m a Jew.”
“Well, I never would have made that assumption, given the fact that your last name comes straight from Federal Hill. But thanks for sharing,” he adds. “It puts some of your earlier objections in a much different light. Attorney Preston, you may call your witness.”
When Pastor Clive walks in from wherever he’s been sequestered, accompanied by a sheriff, the gallery reacts. The members of the Eternal Glory Church call out hallelujahs and amens; the Westboro Baptist group starts clapping. For his part, Pastor Clive ducks his head humbly and walks down the aisle.
He asks to be sworn in on his own Bible.
