First off, let me start off by saying I hate politics. I spent about 30 seconds as a political science major in college. It took one class to make me realize that everyone has an opinion about politics and everyone is extremely passionate that their political view is the right one. I on the other hand do not. While I like to be aware of what's going on in the world, I don't feel the need to yell about it, or get into arguments about it or even really talk about it. I just don't like conflict.
It was no surprise then last week when Facebook and the internet exploded with the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states and everyone was freaking out that I just watched it all happen as I usually do when some newsworthy item occurs.
Except I didn't.
For some reason I decided that this would be as good a time as any to express my views on polygamy. Polygamy? You might ask. Why polygamy? I honestly don't know. Maybe because I read a lot about fundamentalist Mormons? Maybe because there are people out there living polygamy as an alternate lifestyle. Who knows? But I felt the need to express that while the homosexual community is out there celebrating a milestone, there are still people out there who aren't free to love.
When I started posting about polygamy on Facebook, I got a lot of different responses. From Christian Right friends who joked about what they would legalize next to members of the gay community condemning me for being unloving and joking about these things. It was then I realized that I was serious.
I'm not going to lie. It kind of did start out as a joke. Back before gay marriage was legal. I'd say things about how if they were going to legalize that, they should legalize polygamy. But then I started thinking about it and it occurred to me that if two consenting adults of the same sex can legally get married, what about multiple consenting adults? Everyone says that marriage should be equal, people should have the right to have the benefits of marriage and that with these recent court decision the mission was accomplished. Except it wasn't.
The United States has a history of persecuting polygamists. There are people out there whose practice of polygamy is deeply tied to religious beliefs making it not only an issue of marriage but an issue of religious freedom as well. Legalizing polygamous marriages would not only help with this persecution and lead to acceptance, it would aid in things such as the abuse of welfare and other government benefits.
If the government says a homosexual couple has the rights of the benefits of marriage, then who are they to say that other non-traditional groups can't have that right as well?
"But where would it end?" you might ask me. "How would the government control the amount of wives a man could have? What would then stop other kinds of marriages from being legalized?" My honest answer: I don't know. But I also think that marriage shouldn't even be a government issue. If it weren't a state issue, there wouldn't be these issues of who one can or cannot marry. But I'm digressing.
My point is, I respect the right of a man to have multiple wives if he so chooses. No one should be persecuted for that. People who were so passionate about legalizing gay marriage should realize that the work is not done. It's not just about homosexuality. You can't give rights to one group and ignore all the others and that is why I support the legalization of polygamous marriage.
It was no surprise then last week when Facebook and the internet exploded with the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states and everyone was freaking out that I just watched it all happen as I usually do when some newsworthy item occurs.
Except I didn't.
For some reason I decided that this would be as good a time as any to express my views on polygamy. Polygamy? You might ask. Why polygamy? I honestly don't know. Maybe because I read a lot about fundamentalist Mormons? Maybe because there are people out there living polygamy as an alternate lifestyle. Who knows? But I felt the need to express that while the homosexual community is out there celebrating a milestone, there are still people out there who aren't free to love.
When I started posting about polygamy on Facebook, I got a lot of different responses. From Christian Right friends who joked about what they would legalize next to members of the gay community condemning me for being unloving and joking about these things. It was then I realized that I was serious.
I'm not going to lie. It kind of did start out as a joke. Back before gay marriage was legal. I'd say things about how if they were going to legalize that, they should legalize polygamy. But then I started thinking about it and it occurred to me that if two consenting adults of the same sex can legally get married, what about multiple consenting adults? Everyone says that marriage should be equal, people should have the right to have the benefits of marriage and that with these recent court decision the mission was accomplished. Except it wasn't.
The United States has a history of persecuting polygamists. There are people out there whose practice of polygamy is deeply tied to religious beliefs making it not only an issue of marriage but an issue of religious freedom as well. Legalizing polygamous marriages would not only help with this persecution and lead to acceptance, it would aid in things such as the abuse of welfare and other government benefits.
If the government says a homosexual couple has the rights of the benefits of marriage, then who are they to say that other non-traditional groups can't have that right as well?
"But where would it end?" you might ask me. "How would the government control the amount of wives a man could have? What would then stop other kinds of marriages from being legalized?" My honest answer: I don't know. But I also think that marriage shouldn't even be a government issue. If it weren't a state issue, there wouldn't be these issues of who one can or cannot marry. But I'm digressing.
My point is, I respect the right of a man to have multiple wives if he so chooses. No one should be persecuted for that. People who were so passionate about legalizing gay marriage should realize that the work is not done. It's not just about homosexuality. You can't give rights to one group and ignore all the others and that is why I support the legalization of polygamous marriage.
1 comment:
How about government only making registered marriages and personal vows before God as a function of a church or religious group? Religious folks would let government do its thing like all governments do and energy from Believers would be focused on the needs of people to find and be Godly. Just thinking. BTW- Are you ok with polyandry as well? I personally believe the Godly model is a man and a woman.
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