I’ve long felt that the state should not be in the marriage business, and while this isn’t a likely change, it was a relief to see a proposition in California that seeks to get the state out of the marriage business.
Perhaps my relief was connected to the recent Supreme Court hearing on Prop 8, which demonstrated the shallowness of the court’s commitment to equal treatment under the law when it comes to gays and lesbians. Or perhaps the feeling stems from my dismay at seeing anti-8 lawyers struggle to justify their position on narrow legal grounds, and fail miserably. Surely I’m not the only one who thought that progress could not be best won by taking on the right on their terms, rather than advocating for the separation of church and state. Perhaps I’m oversimplifying, and I saw a sound legal argument that simply made no sense to me.
Still, I’m yearning for a little common sense to return to the discussion, a little clarity about what we are discussing: A legal contract. Nothing romantic about that, gay or straight. And certainly nothing sacred about this simple signing of papers.
Love is none of the state’s business, nor is God, but paper signing? Right where the power of the state is the clearest. It seems to me that this is the place to stake our claim, and I’m liking these two straight college students who stepped forward and staked.
htg03
4 Comments
March 12, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Hooray! Or Amen, or whatever. Apparently, this is the way the do it in the enlightened land to the north of our own, but I haven’t looked into that yet. There’s a libertarian argument that says the same thing, essentially — the state’s role in “marriage” should be limited to enforcing a contract that two people choose to enter into.
March 13, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Yes, here is an interesting article about civil marriage in Canada:
http://www.canada.com/Life/Note+Americans+Canada+resolved+contentious+issue+four+years+fall/1376887/story.html
It points out that the country continued with no damnation and hellfire after same-sex couples were granted the right to marry, and also noted the marriage as civil union change you mention. I didn’t realize this civil union change had happened– thanks for pointing it out.
March 15, 2009 at 11:32 am
Is there a link for the ‘two straight college students’ reference? Have missed this part of the story.
March 15, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I included the wrong link. Sorry! Here’s an article with the correct information:
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1560578.html