Getting California out of marriage business proposed as answer to Prop. 8 war
At California's historic hearing on Proposition 8 earlier this month, Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin briefly imagined a scenario that might solve the legal conflict over a gay marriage ban.What if the government were to get out of the "marriage business," Ming asked, and issue civil-union licenses to both straight and gay couples?... circulating petitions for a ballot initiative that would strike the word "marriage" from state laws and substitute "domestic partnership."
The change would keep all the rights of marriage now on the books. But it would nullify Proposition 8 and make the new partnership category applicable to both gay and straight.
more ...
Can we just give everybody in California a freakin' dictionary and move on?
News Flash: The word "marriage" has more than one meaning.
Let's make it simple:
Marriage:
Definition #1: A religious or spiritual union or rite
Definition #2: A legal contract with set rights and responsibilities defined by law.
Religions of any kind are free and welcome to set any limits they see fit on Definition #1. But, in this country, no religion has any business trying to legislate Definition #2 to force others to live by their beliefs.
If you want to live in a theocracy, you might try Iran or Saudi Arabia or Israel. I'm sure those are lovely places to live. As long as you do and think and be exactly as the church/government believes you should.
While I think it's ridiculous that it's come to this, I'm so glad to hear this! I hope they do it. I'm religious (Christian), yet the hypocrisy of most Christians on the matter kills me.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree religion had the native rights to marriage. But guess what?!? We sold them for some acknowledgment from the government and some tax breaks.
Meaning: We sold them! So we can't go around claiming exclusive (or any?) rights to that institution. But not only that, 99.9% of Christians personally ratified that sale (or intend to if they're not already married) when they went to the government requesting a license for ... what they're now trying to claim they own??
Methinks the crap doesn't add up.
Get over it, Christians. You didn't want it, and now the government would like to do the decent thing and use it as a nice catch-all phrase to describe a legal, spousal relationship between consenting adults who are every bit as much a citizen as you are. "All citizens are equal, but some are more equal than others", eh? Bah! You sold it, and it's not yours any more. Accept your choice.
Dear fellow Christians: I will take your complaints seriously when you put your money where your mouth is, and file for annulment or legal divorce based on your not having needed the governmental decree anyway. Because "marriage" having come from God it is a spiritual matter exclusively, no?
Yeah. That's what I thought.
Thanks for your comment, Jeannie! I tried to comment on your post on the subject, but I ran into technical difficulties. So, I'll just give you a "right on", right here. :)
ReplyDeleteThis country was based on separation of church & state. Nice to hear that some still believe in keeping it separate and maintaining freedom of religion. Cheers!
ReplyDelete