Is marriage on death row?
The Supreme Court's refusal to grant Alabama a stay in beginning to issue same-sex "marriage" licenses may telegraph the Court's intention to redefine marriage once and for all in its upcoming ruling on a Sixth Circuit decision recognizing the right of states to restrict marriage to men and women.
Some are expressing worries that laws banning polygamy, polyandry and incest may be the next to go. Personally, I'm more worried about marriage itself. If the court forces states to recognize same-sex "marriage," by definition it will be abandoning the legal justification which marriage has had throughout the history of Western civilization: the providing of a social framework for the bearing and raising of children. Instead it will recognize the recent rationalization of the institution as simply a framework for affectional relationships between individuals.
And if that's the justification, what excuse can there be for granting preferential status to permanent relationships? It would hardly be a stretch to see legal recognition of marriage of any kind as discrimination against couples of whatever makeup who only intend to remain together "as long as we both shall love."
Some are expressing worries that laws banning polygamy, polyandry and incest may be the next to go. Personally, I'm more worried about marriage itself. If the court forces states to recognize same-sex "marriage," by definition it will be abandoning the legal justification which marriage has had throughout the history of Western civilization: the providing of a social framework for the bearing and raising of children. Instead it will recognize the recent rationalization of the institution as simply a framework for affectional relationships between individuals.
And if that's the justification, what excuse can there be for granting preferential status to permanent relationships? It would hardly be a stretch to see legal recognition of marriage of any kind as discrimination against couples of whatever makeup who only intend to remain together "as long as we both shall love."
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