Polygamy "Rights"
Polygamists "out of the closet" reads the link from this WashingtonPost article.
The article talks about how polygamy rights groups are using the same language and tactics of gay rights group to de-criminalize polygamy. [Technically polygny].
This is a difficult one for me. I generally support gay and lesbian rights. More properly I think politically states should handle the issue. Otherwise I fear, if forced from above either Supreme Court or Federal Amendment (in either direction pro or anti) then we would have a return to the divisiveness of the abortion debate. Which to me, more than anything, has destroyed our court systems and domestic policy in the last 30 years.
On the other hand, this argument that opening the door to gay rights would create an opening for other so-called alternative sexualities in, is a strong one. And I knew it would happen and it is gaining strength. In a purely pluralistic postmodern mindset, all of these "other" voices would be given reign.
Don't know how to deal with this counter-argument. It doesn't work to go to a position of complete and forever exclusion of gay groups, nor do I want to see a return to polygamy. If any one has thoughts on this, let me know.
posted by CJ Smith @ 2:26 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Chris,
A few quick points.
1. Apart from a few groups in Utah and a few postmodern intellectuals with no grassroots following, I am unaware that there is even a polygamous rights movement whatsoever. Mostly it's just something thrown out by the religious right, along with man-on-dog sex, every time they make a "slippery slope."
2. There have been several excellent moderate gay-rights-friendly pieces on the subject. You might want to search IndeGayForum.org for these or Andrew Sullivan.
3. It's helpful to distinguish between moral objections to polygamy and political issues. I for one do not have moral objections to post-monogamous relationships, but I don't see any compelling reason for granting polygamous marriages a sanction from the state.
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