Submitted by Roy in Northeast Portland on Sun, 02/25/2007 - 9:18pm.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Ward and June Cleaver R.I.P.!
Ah the Cleavers. Ward went to work, June put on the apron and they together raised two boys. This was our vision of the American family. Most families were actually some version of that nuclear family and our government wrote laws to benefit nuclear marriage. Long gone are terms like "illegitimate children" "bastards" and "shacking up". For better or for worse our culture now openly includes single parenting, gay relationships, couples living together etc. etc. etc.
O.K. This is not about family values. Rather a look at the outdated laws concerning
marriage.
Some say our government needs to affirm marriage as between a man and a woman. Some say the definition now needs to be expanded to include gays. In reality both sides promote discrimination.
Recently Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams filed suit for the right to split his retirement benefits with his partner of twelve years. If they are entitled than wouldn't it be discrimination to deny unmarried straight couples who live together?
How about a couple in a committed platonic relationship? Or two sisters living together? Commissioner Adams is fighting for equal rights. Ironically what he will gain is the right along with married couples to discriminate. What a mess! There is a very simple solution. Get government out of the marriage business altogether and leave the definition of marriage to individuals. Wouldn't your marriage have more meaning if you were free to define your own marriage rather than government mandating a one definition fits all in our ever diversifying society? Government could be freed from legislating morality by simply replacing discriminatory marriage licenses with simple civil unions to any couple which could be used as a fair basis for benefits.
Saturday, February 24,
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Ward and June Cleaver R.I.P.!
Ah the Cleavers. Ward went to work, June put on the apron and they together raised two boys. This was our vision of the American family. Most families were actually some version of that nuclear family and our government wrote laws to benefit nuclear marriage. Long gone are terms like "illegitimate children" "bastards" and "shacking up". For better or for worse our culture now openly includes single parenting, gay relationships, couples living together etc. etc. etc.
O.K. This is not about family values. Rather a look at the outdated laws concerning
marriage.
Some say our government needs to affirm marriage as between a man and a woman. Some say the definition now needs to be expanded to include gays. In reality both sides promote discrimination.
Recently Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams filed suit for the right to split his retirement benefits with his partner of twelve years. If they are entitled than wouldn't it be discrimination to deny unmarried straight couples who live together?
How about a couple in a committed platonic relationship? Or two sisters living together? Commissioner Adams is fighting for equal rights. Ironically what he will gain is the right along with married couples to discriminate. What a mess! There is a very simple solution. Get government out of the marriage business altogether and leave the definition of marriage to individuals. Wouldn't your marriage have more meaning if you were free to define your own marriage rather than government mandating a one definition fits all in our ever diversifying society? Government could be freed from legislating morality by simply replacing discriminatory marriage licenses with simple civil unions to any couple which could be used as a fair basis for benefits.