Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Demise of DOMA...

First, I have to say Bill Clinton is shameless. He applauded the overturning of DOMA. When a reporter correctly pointed out that he signed DOMA into law he retorted that he only did that to keep the Republicans from passing something much more gay unfriendly. Uh huh. Never mind the countless times he argued in its' favor during its' passage, or his pro DOMA speech at the signing ceremony. The man simply has zero scruples.

What I want to say about this is simple - pro gay marriage people, advocacy groups, and activists you are ALL, each of you, bigots if you do not now take up the cause of plural marriage. Polygamy fits each and every one of your arguments for gay marriage. It's between consenting adults; you can't define "love" for other people; who are you to impose your definition of morality on others?; they deserve the right to hospital visitation and inheritance as a spouse, and on, and on, and on.

The case chosen by the Supreme Court was about two women, legally married in Canada, whom wanted their relationship to have legal standing in the US. That right was affirmed in the majority. Ok, fine. Now if a man moves to the US from Saudi Arabia with his four wives, where those marriages are recognized as perfectly legal, how on earth does anyone who applaudes this ruling oppose his "right" to maintain the legal status of those marriages in the US? Tell me how that works. Yet the pro gay marriage crowd explodes into uncontrollable fits if you attempt to compare the two, or suggest that polygamy is the logical next step.

Now look, I don't subscribe to arguments invoking incest, or beastiality, because the underlying behavior in those instances is itself illegal. One of the pro gay marriage arguments is that homosexuality - the act itself - has long since been made legal, so you can not deny their right to codify legal behavior into law via marriage. These same activists will not tolerate, however, any comparisons to polygamy. Why? For three or more adults to move into a house, have sex with each other, share in the expenses and general upkeep of that home and their life, is legal. Does everyone not agree? If the underlying behavior of the relationship is legal, than than the lawful recognition of their relationship must occur, says the SCOTUS. In fact pro polygamy groups released press statements declaring this ruling a big win for their cause ... I agree.

At this point I'd rather the government divorce itself from the institution marriage all together (and about a thousand other areas). Go to a flat tax and don't involve the government in your relationships at all. But that's not what's going to happen. They'll go in the opposite direction, more intervention. Clergy who deny marrying same sex couples will have their tax exempt status pulled, or have denied their ability to sign off on a marriage license all together (and I mean their literal signature that goes on the license declaring he performed the ceremony). Not to mention, chaplains in the military will be forced to marry gay soldiers, and then of course, as I've stated, polygamy is around the corner. Welcome to it America - your freedom, and that of your church as an institution, to practice your religion as you see fit will give way to the coming interpretations of this ruling... the two simply cannot coexist. To reach any other conclusion is, as Spock would say, "highly illogical captain."

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