I'm definitely smelling and hearing desperation

[thewayne]

"There is...a very slippery slope leading to other alternative relationships and the unconstitutionality of any law based on morality. Think about polygamy, bestiality, and perhaps even murder."
—Michael Reagan, on same-sex marriage

Personally, I don't have a problem with polygamy/group marriage as long as everyone entering in to it are consenting adults and are fully informed, I don't know what you'd do about the tax issues. I think bestiality is probably indicative of some serious mental health issues, and murder is not simply a matter of morality but is also the ultimate infringement of a person's legal rights. Besides, so many laws are ignored these days when it comes to big money: the various banking scandals are based purely on greed, and I'm pretty sure that's a morality issue.

I love the argument that the pro-DOMA forces are trying to muster about 'marriage is about procreation'. My wife and I are not having kids, most married couples that I know don't have kids. Among my friends, procreation is definitely the minority approach. So are we not married? As much as I would have liked to have had a kid or two, I have a genetic condition that I definitely don't want to transmit, so I'm glad we didn't. Does that invalidate my marriage?

I read an article yesterday about a Hollywood celeb who said that approving gay marriage would lead to fathers marrying their sons to dodge inheritance taxes.

There's a reason why you shouldn't pay too much attention to Hollywood celebs.

Comments

[moiraj.livejournal.com]

I think politicians should just stop talking in front of cameras unless they have a speech prepared. They seem unable to avoid appearing idiotic.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Oh, they're more than capable of appearing idiotic even with prepared statements. ;-)

I read an interview, I believe it was with Gore Vidal, talking about his grandfather being a senator. The point he was making was that at that time congressmen were educated men, able to make points in Latin, having reasoned discourse. Now it's all sound bits and ad hominem attacks. I think the decay of congress began with CSPAN when congresscritters realized that they had to look good since they were now appearing on TV, so immediately $500 suits and $100 haircuts and makeup became the norm. Then when the 24 hour news cycle erupted, they had to sound impressive for their constituents, regardless of how they were voting or what they thought. It's become a feedback loop.

[vaudy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the procreation argument is going to go nowhere fast, because there are really nasty implications there.

Someone I was talking to several years ago was talking about the slippery slope argument, specifically regarding people thinking bestiality and marriage to minors could become legal if we legalized gay marriage, and brought up the key point that minors and animals cannot give consent.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard the argument that it could expand to marriage to minors.

People can be such idiots. I sometimes wonder what ever happened to common sense. I guess everything must be spelled out in law to the smallest possible minutia so that loopholes can be exploited.

[silveradept]

There are plenty of reasons to outlaw murder that have nothing to do with religious morals.

As for the other things, it's always weird how conservative minds go to those kinds of places when someone suggests marriage equality. It's like they want to try it and see what it's like, but aren't willing to come out and say it.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I find it quite amusing when people fall back to the bible for "one man, one woman" definition of marriage when the old testament has tons of examples of plural marriages. And the quote, which I think is from Mark, continues later in the same chapter with telling people to sell all their goods, give it to the poor, and follow Me.

Pity they stop reading where they want to, the world might be a better place. Selective quotation is so much fun for them.

[silveradept]

Actually doing what the religion says is usually the hardest part of being a follower of the religion. If you asked them, of course, they would say they're following along perfectly...