In a stunning revelation of what one man’s “conservative” case for gay marriage is all about, Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman columnist criticizes me (along with David Frum and Pat Buchanan–quite a pair) for failing to see the conservative potential of gay marriage. In “Embracing Age-Old Monogamy,” Chapman asks why conservatives like Kurtz see gay marriage as a zero sum game. After all, says Chapman, gay marriage would only heighten monogamy, thereby strengthening conservative values. Of course, Chapman omits even to mention my argument, which is that gay marriage, in a variety of ways, would open a path to legalized polygamy-polyamory. But it’s worse than that. It turns out that Chapman himself, while chastising conservatives for ignoring the monogamous potential of gay marriage, is a supporter of state sanctioned polygamy. In August of 2001, Chapman’s Chicago Tribune column was called, “Our Unwarranted Ban on Polygamy.” In that column, Chapman called for state sanctioned polygamy. Not only that, but Chapman did so on the grounds that denying state recognition to polygamous marriages was just like refusing to recognize gay marriage. Chapman went further and articulated a “conservative case” for polygamy, arguing that refusing to allow polygamous men to marry only discourages the responsible step of having them simultaneously marry their several women partners. So while Steve Chapman complains about my refusal to recognize the monogamous potential of gay marriage, he himself has been touting gay marriage as a justification for legalized polygamy! Not only does Chapman fail to acknowledge or understand the link I draw between gay marriage and polygamy, he himself is an ultimate example of the connection. The idea that polygamous marriage will encourage “responsible adult behavior,” rather than undermine the monogamy that Chapman pretends to favor, is absurd. At least in this case, the “conservative” case for gay marriage is just a bogus cover for a radical libertarianism that can only destroy the institution of marriage.