I think gays should be allowed to marry, be miserable, and get divorced like everyone else.
A bill has been introduced in Congress this week to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and it’s about time. Among the asinine things done by the Bill Clinton that did not involve a blue dress (NAFTA, bank deregulation, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell), DOMA was among the highest ranking in sheer mean-spiritedness and stupidity and the sooner we correct this injustice the better.
This whole idea that marriage needs to be defended from gays is ludicrous. Marriage needs to be defended from divorce. And a California man is doing just that. John Marcotte from (rescuemarriage.org) is gathering signatures for an amendment to make divorce illegal in California. I have to admit, being single and snarky, that this idea does kind of tickle me. If gays can’t get married, then straights shouldn’t be allowed to get divorced and if the right-wing Christian folks are really serious about defending marriage, they should have no problem with this at all. They swore before God to stay together till death parts them. All we’re asking them to do is keep their word to the big guy. Of course, this may have a slight influence on the murder rate in the state, but hey—a small price to pay. Besides, we can always amend The Ten Commandments, too. It’s not like they were carved in stone.
What seriously bites my ass here is that these same upstanding citizens who are fighting so hard for the “sanctity” of marriage are the first to cry socialism at any attempt to help families faced with unemployment, alcoholism, domestic violence, crime-ridden neighborhoods, lack of access to medical care—problems that all put unbearable stress on marriages. So if you’re white and rich, by God your marriage is sacred. Fall below the poverty line? Not so much.
I remember when getting a divorce was a big deal. When you had to show a court cause to be granted one. When there was a strong societal stigma attached to someone from a “failed” marriage. Nowadays, “no fault” laws have made obtaining a divorce like a drive-through at Jack-in-the-Box. So to the Christian “right,” I say put up or shut up. Either everyone is allowed to marry, or you’re legally bound to your partner for life.
Lest you to think I’m completely unreasonable, however, how about this for a compromise. We only allow, rich, white, Christian, Republican gays to marry. Come on … you know you’re out there. Well, maybe not “out.”
