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
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 think I'm completely unreasonable, however, how about this for a compromise. We only allow rich, white, Christian Republicans to marry. Come on... you know you're out there. Well, maybe not "out."
8 comments:
Amen to all of that! And Jane, I thought it was the 10 Suggestions. Oops, apologies to our right leaning friends who are born again and read this blog. What am I saying? Never mind! Great article Jayne. No surpise there!
jayne,
your blog covers several topics today. public aid, gay rights, heterosexual divorce, white christians .....
i would like to comment on the first, public assistance, i think helping people when they need a bridge due to unemployment, etc... is great. part of the problem is that for many, it has become their lifestyle. not a bridge between jobs.
AFDC was set up to help people who were widowed after WW2, a situation that was not planned, not what it has grown into.
we have family members who spend weeks each year, at a privately owned family vacation property (stocked with toys) that is not available for rent. and they are on public assistance.
You are talented and right! Hit the nail on the head with this one :)
Love Tawnia
Hey Jayne, I just loved this post! And not only for the obvious reason. I already lived like a married couple, but I had almost none of the legal rights as such. And we paid our taxes full. I think we should either be fully accepted, or based on being somehow considered second class citizens, we should have some tax reductions!
But thanks, it's great to know that we have some members of society fighting for us. Specially some that are so articulated!
Adam (mrelife.blogspot.com)
The title of your blog post has had me in stitches. Seriously.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I will definitely be back to yours again--I like the way you think!!! :)
Thanks, everyone. I try to post a new piece every Monday, unless something stirs me so much before then that I know the world will not continue to revolve without my opinion on the subject. ;) - Jayne
Enjoy your writing - please check out
http://ramblingsofanamericanmadman.blogspot.com/
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