I always thought Republicans were supposed to be for less government--not more. Here we have a state government trying to pass a law that forces straight couples to have kids within three years of the ceremony or their marriage will be annulled.
Like I said: HILARIOUS.
Don't believe me? Check out the following cutting from [http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_020507WABinitiative957SW.546c6a4d.html|a February 5, 2007 article] at NWCN.com:
An initiative filed by proponents of same-sex marriage would require heterosexual couples to have kids within three years or else have their marriage annulled.
Initiative 957 was filed by the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance. That group was formed last summer after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington's ban on same-sex marriage.
Under the initiative, marriage would be limited to men and women who are able to have children. Couples would be required to prove they can have children in order to get a marriage license, and if they did not have children within three years, their marriage would be subject to annulment.
All other marriages would be defined as "unrecognized" and people in those marriages would be ineligible to receive any marriage benefits.
My good pal Jen is probably fuming as she reads this and I don't blame her! This is more big brother crap--government (or anything) telling us how to live i bad enough, but forcing us? Now straights can't enjoy the marriage bond either--unless they're capable of having kids and want them in the first place.
Supports of this wannabe-law will have to gather signatures from over 200,000
Still, the point here is that there are people in government and/or public life that would even consider a law like this as a good idea.
FREEDOM--look it up, people.
One person forcing another person to live a certain way, do a certain thing, or think a certain way in order for something else to happen is generally wrong.
Marriage is something that's part of our culture. I did it, my parents did it (more than once!) and even gays want to do it. Why do we need to slam down new restrictions and qualifications on it?
Marriage should be between two people who love each other--PERIOD. Does it really matter how many penises (peni?) are involved? Does it matter if children are produced if the couple really loves one another?
Actually, you know what? I hope this law does pass--because it will serve as the single most effective blow to marriage. I have nothing against marriage beyond the fact that it's kind of a joke of an institution to begin with. Isn't it still true that half of them end in divorce? Also, I don't believe the government should have anything to do with marriages. Marriages are spiritual bonds between couples. Why should the government sanction said love?
Marriage is already such a big brother prospect, why not just push it over the top and give us a real reason to reform it?
"An initiative filed by proponents of same-sex marriage ..." doesn't sound like a bunch of Republicans to me. Check out the website of the group that's pushing this: www.wa-doma.org. Their reasons for doing it are very much akin to what you said above: "Actually, you know what ...?"
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't have time to follow up on the background on this, but you're right they're not Republicans, apparently. But I'm an independent so I don't care which side of the fence the proponents of a law come from--this kind of thing is used strictly to further agendas. I think it's a waste of tax payers' money to propose a law you know will be struck down just because you want people to talk about the issue (or call harcore Christians' bluffs).
ReplyDeleteIf you think something is worth discussing fine, but don't spend someone else's tax dollars just because you've decided something is important. I know one of my comments above suggests that I would be OK with doing this for their reasons, but I was speaking in abstract terms. In fact, if I had thought it through as far as I should have, I bet I wouldn't have said "I hope it does pass..." though I do wish marriage would be simply between the couple and/or the couple and their religion.
All that said, I think the legislative system is there for proposing laws that will protect rights, not to do the legislative equivalent to being an online forum troll. To me, this is just a misuse of the legislature.
Mind you, I haven't checked out their site, so I may change my mind, but so far, it seems like it's still a lame thing to do just to prove how full of crap someone is.
Just my 2 yen, of course.