Gay Marriage…
Something I just posted on a Slashdot discussion on Prop 8…
Gays of course have the right to marry. The opposite sex.
Of course, that does not match their personal preference, but then again having your preferences catered to by the state isn’t something you can count on when you are a distinct minority.
I’d imagine you’re aware of the usual response to that, but I think it’s important enough that it bears repeating.
Whether or not being gay is a preference/choice or biologically determined is is irrelevant to the arguments in favor of gay marriage. Regardless of the cause of homosexuality, the government should not be in the business of regulating the behavior of consenting adults or discriminating based on said behavior.
In general, the argument for marriage only being valid for a man and a woman revolves around child-rearing. If that’s the case, it’s odd that so many of the legal and financial rights/privileges granted by marriage do not directly relate to child reading and, indeed, apply regardless of whether or not the married couple has children, ever plans to have children, or even can have children. For example, my mom is now past child-bearing age. Does that mean she shouldn’t be allowed to get (re)married?
So please don’t act like qualifying homosexuality as a preference and talking about the rights of gay men and women to marry people of the opposite sex as if it takes the wind out of the sails of gay marriage proponents. It doesn’t.
-R
PS – As a side note, part of a well-functioning government’s role is to protect minorities from tyranny of the majority [wikipedia.org]. So while you’re right, a minority population can’t count on the state’s protection, it’s not unreasonable to expect such protection in the (theoretical) ‘ideal’ state.
Themocracy
Howdy from Texas. I just wanted to say that I don’t know what the big damn deal is about adults marrying whomsoever they desire. It’s a LEGAL RIGHT. That’s ALL it is. All you need to do to get married is get the legal paper all signed and enacted and such. You don’t have to state WHY you are getting married, IF you want children, if you love the other person, if you’re marrying for money, if you’re have a religious ceremony of any sort, etc etc. Why how what the hell makes people think we should use our state OR federal constitutions to take away a group’s legal rights? Are we not all entitled to the same legal rights in this country? Marriage should be marriage and it’s not different in each state and married people are legally married in every state and entitled to the same benefits (and lack thereof haha) as all married people. Humph. Some day we will look back on this in disbelief. I hope.