Divorce should not be encouraged II

As far as I've been able to understand the rules my opponent set forth (I had some difficulties due to them being written in very bad English), I am entitled to offer a rebuttal to my opponent's round 2; so I shall now do so. Let's deal with the part about suicide first. To begin with, I must point out a contradiction in my opponent's exposition. He states that "simply 'being married' does not provide singificant mental health benefits relating to suicide". This statement renders the statistics he listed concerning suicide irrelevant, since he himself states that the state of being married per se has no effect on suicide rates. He practically strengthened con's case by stating this. For that, I offer my thanks. He then states that divorce affects men more than women, and that "one wonders why it is that way". No, one doesn't wonder. That fact is completely irrelevant as to the topic of this debate. To complete the first part of his exposition, he lists more numbers related to suicide. Unfortunately, the whole part concerning suicide is contradictory and uncomprehensible, and as such a feeble argument with no visible point. I shall now dismantle part 2 and 3 of his argumentation, dealing with effects of divorce on children and other family members, both at the same time. Divorce makes people unhappy. .. I am compelled to answer with a very popular response - you don't say? Unfortunately, it seems my opponent doesn't understand the causes of divorce. Divorce isn't, as I've explained in round 2, a little gremlin behind the corner waiting to jump and say: "Hey, my name is Divorce, and I will destroy your lives! (insert evil laugh here)". Divorce is a result of pre-existing problems and differences in marriage which the couple have deemed unsolvable. I find it hard to believe that a dysfunctional marriage would bring any more happiness to family members and children than a divorce of the couple in question. Children certainly won't be happy with living in a house where nobody gets along - living in a dysfunctional family may even be worse for them than living in a family with divorced parents. Here are some examples of effects on children brought upon them by their living in a dysfunctional family (marriage): Feeling of loneliness Being too hard on oneself Finding it hard to relax and enjoy Difficulty expressing feelings Extremist responses and decisions Problems forming intimate relationships Adopting themselves to abusive relations More concerned in helping others, apprehensive to seek approval Taking over more than they can handle Incompetent handling of anger, frustration and hatred Yes, it's tough. But it's better to explain to the child what exactly is going on, and offer him an honest, and perhaps more open, life. It is better for a child to live in an environment where family members face problems openly and where he/she can have a functional relationship with both parents separately, than to maintain a senseless charade that only puts stress on communication. As for other family members, I've already pointed out that preserving a "dead" marriage is no better than divorcing and won't bring any more happiness. Finally, my opponent mentions divorce being a cause of health problems. I am forced to ask my opponent whether he believes that dysfunctional marriages cause any less - divorce is a result of problems and unhappiness, it doesn't just materialize out of thin air. As for my argumentation, I shall offer more explanation as to the decision to dissolve a marital union, which is closely tied to my statement that "the couple have deemed [the problems in their marriage] unsolvable". The focus here is on "have deemed". I believe everyone would agree that marriage is a incredible step in life for both individuals in a couple. Their lives are both affected - it is their marriage. They are living in it. Thus, another reason why divorce must be allowed is the simple fact that no legislation should interfere with divorce; because no legislator has the right to decide what others will do with their marriage, and to indirectly issue orders as to what people should do with their lives. It is only natural that those involved in a marriage should decide its fate. Not the government, not you and me. Back to my opponent. SOURCES:[1] . http://www.buzzle.com...