For those of us like myself who have feared that “same-sex” marriage would force the government to give legal recognition to polygamous, polyamourous, and even incestuous “marital arrangements” rendering tradtional male-female marriage meaningless and were told that we were “over-reacting” and that the “slippery slope argument” was ridiculous, there is this “New Strategic Vision For All Our Families and Our Relationships” from beyondmarriage.org:
Marriage is not the only worthy form of family or relationship, and it should not be legally and economically privileged above all others. A majority of people â?? whatever their sexual and gender identities â?? do not live in traditional nuclear families. They stand to gain from alternative forms of household recognition beyond one-size-fits-all marriage. For example:
· Single parent households
· Senior citizens living together and serving as each otherâ??s caregivers (think Golden Girls)
· Blended and extended families
· Children being raised in multiple households or by unmarried parents
· Adult children living with and caring for their parents
· Senior citizens who are the primary caregivers to their grandchildren or other relatives
· Close friends or siblings living in non-conjugal relationships and serving as each otherâ??s primary support and caregivers
· Households in which there is more than one conjugal partner
· Care-giving relationships that provide support to those living with extended illness such as HIV/AIDS.
I have always supported allowing the Constitutionally legally proscribed legislative process determine the legal definition of marriage. Here in Mass where I live, if the majority vote to redefine marriage to include “same-sex” marriage in 2008 when it will be on our ballot, then I am prepared to accept that outcome b/c that is how such legal/moral questions are properly reconiciled. But those of us who have opposed redefining marriage have said consistently that if marriage is not an exclusive legal arrangement between one man and one woman that any marital configuration would have to be legally recognized under the “equal protection” clause.
Now, one of the largest LGBT (Lezbian,Gay,Bi-Sexual, and Transgender) online organiztions “Beyond Same Sex Marriage” has publically acknowledged that what we all feared would result from radically redefining traditional marriage via judicial fiat (without the consent of “we the people” i.e.the proverbial “slippery slope”) is their group’s stated goal.
To those who say, “Well, what do I care? Two people of the same sex can marry, or two men can marry three women, or one man can marry his sister or daughter, or son…Live and let live I say” I would ask you to consider the societal, cultural, economic, and legal repurcussions to our society of radically redefining the oldest and most important human institution in the history of the world. The radical transfomation of society would effect us all in ways that are unimaginable.