Spring Break
Our View: Legal unions, not marriage
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Opinion
Tuesday's elections left Maine with quite the dichotomy: 60 percent of Maine voters made the northeastern state the fifth to approve medical marijuana, while 53 percent repealed a law allowing same-sex marriages.
Apparently the voters in Maine are confused. Maybe they're smoking themselves silly.
Gay marriage foes struck down with a referendum the law allowing the unions, which originally passed in the Legislature and was signed by Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat.
There's nothing really to gripe about with the democratic process in Maine; the people spoke, and they don't want gay marriage.
In an Associated Press story, Frank Schubert, the chief organizer for Stand for Marriage Maine, which lobbied for the repeal said, "The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation."
But lets flip the argument a bit, shall we.
Maybe marriage isn't for gay people. Actually, maybe marriage isn't for anybody. How about we take the marriage out of marriage?
What we're saying is why don't we frame the argument in more of a light of legal unions? In all honesty, marriage is a religious debate. Laws just legalize the religious ceremony.
Let us rid ourselves of the title of marriage. For example, you wouldn't arbitrarily give tax breaks to someone freshly baptized. You don't consider teen after his bar mitzvah a legal adult.
So call it what it is, a legal union. A union for all "marriages," both same and different sexed. Schubert and all the enlightened hate mongers of the world can keep their "sanctity of marriage" while reasonable people, both gay and straight, can find the true meaning of marriage: legal recognition of love.
Apparently the voters in Maine are confused. Maybe they're smoking themselves silly.
Gay marriage foes struck down with a referendum the law allowing the unions, which originally passed in the Legislature and was signed by Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat.
There's nothing really to gripe about with the democratic process in Maine; the people spoke, and they don't want gay marriage.
In an Associated Press story, Frank Schubert, the chief organizer for Stand for Marriage Maine, which lobbied for the repeal said, "The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation."
But lets flip the argument a bit, shall we.
Maybe marriage isn't for gay people. Actually, maybe marriage isn't for anybody. How about we take the marriage out of marriage?
What we're saying is why don't we frame the argument in more of a light of legal unions? In all honesty, marriage is a religious debate. Laws just legalize the religious ceremony.
Let us rid ourselves of the title of marriage. For example, you wouldn't arbitrarily give tax breaks to someone freshly baptized. You don't consider teen after his bar mitzvah a legal adult.
So call it what it is, a legal union. A union for all "marriages," both same and different sexed. Schubert and all the enlightened hate mongers of the world can keep their "sanctity of marriage" while reasonable people, both gay and straight, can find the true meaning of marriage: legal recognition of love.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 11/05/09 @ 3:03 AM MST
Only a liberal would call the true meaning of marriage the legal recognition of love.....
Wow just wow.
Are the liberals of today that soulless. (Continued…)
Skeptical White Man
posted 11/05/09 @ 9:53 AM MST
C'mon folks. Marriage is not a legal recognition of love. It's a legally binding contract to allow the states and federal government yet another revenue stream. (Continued…)
Registered Independent
posted 11/06/09 @ 8:42 AM MST
This article sounds like it was written by people who are not married.
So of course they would know all about the subject.
Just can't wait to read the Collegian's child-rearing philosophy next. (Continued…)
Jessica Kautz
posted 11/06/09 @ 12:48 PM MST
I agree that the term marriage is a religious term and should no longer be used by the government. The idea of allowing gay couples a civil union and straight couples a marriage is just going to lead to history repeating itself. (Continued…)
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