Mistake of Government Controlled Marriage

Today, we have the issue of gay marriage that is creating division across American, and many places around the world. We have two sides, both are entrenched and unwilling to budge a fraction of an inch. There was national outrage by progressives when a pizza owner said she wouldn't cater gay weddings(doesn't cater any weddings), but have happily welcomed gays daily as a customer. There was a threat to burn down the eatery. The owners received death threats. They were harassed to the point they were forced to close until conservatives came to their aid.

People divide this issue along the lines of religion and discrimination. Both sides have valid points. I say, we just need to solve the problem. The easiest way, or at least simplest sounding, is to remove marriage from government. We have couples of the same gender, and of opposite gender, that choose to make a lifetime commitment. Even heterosexual couples sometimes choose not to enter into a government devised contract. Because a couple chooses not to get married, or can't because of laws, they cannot take advantage of certain government benefits.

Marriage – Until Death Do Us Part

The argument over gay/same-sex marriage rages on to the point people are losing their jobs – as in the case of Mozilla CEO, Brendan Eich who was forced to resign for his contributions to Prop 8 in California(essentially banning gay marriage). In every war there are civilian casualties – in this one the greatest casualty might be that of speech and those who love one another. This battle has put family members at odds with one another.

Let's talk a little about marriage, itself. For the first half of this country's history, people simply went to their priest or priestess, depending on the religion, for their marriage or hand-fasting. In some cases couples simply cohabited. These unions were often recorded in the family bible, along with the names of future children. When government began keeping records, this is where they went for information.

After the slaves were freed, and sometimes before in free areas, government began to notice that black and white couples were getting married. There were those who thought this joining might tarnish white purity. For that reason they began passing laws to forbid these unions. It was for this reason government decided to take over marriages from religious organizations. There were instances where government forbade those of different faiths to marry.

Today, a marriage performed by a government bureaucrat, or one by a priest or priestess, are equally legal. The government decides who can or can't take part in these government sanctioned marriages. They decide who can take part in the privileges set aside for those married couples. A Chief Justice noted 1500 regulations and laws that pertain only to married people.

A marriage was intended to be something much more personal than a set of government privileges. A marriage is suppose to be about the combining of two lives. It is about two people falling in love and joining for the rest of their lives. Marriage is not about the potential for children, but two people who wish to show a commitment to one another. A marriage is the promise of life together. Many children are produced outside of marriage.