To the Editor:

I respectfully disagree with the recent Illinois senate vote taken on the same-sex marriage issue. Same-sex marriage is not good for society and children and should not become law in Illinois.

The fundamental purpose for the institution of marriage in all the societies I know is to provide a stable family structure for the raising of children. A man and woman join together in marriage with the purpose of having children, loving them, and raising them to be good members of society. We have historically protected the family with marriage restrictions, such as bigamy laws, that keep the family strong. When marriage is weakened, as with no-fault divorce, families break apart with increased poverty for women and children. This weakens society.