Stepping Up

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

And so it begins:

Kody Brown is a proud polygamist, and a relatively famous one. Now Mr. Brown, his four wives and 16 children and stepchildren are going to court to keep from being punished for it.

The family is the focus of a reality TV show, “Sister Wives,” that first appeared in 2010. Law enforcement officials in the Browns’ home state, Utah, announced soon after the show began that the family was under investigation for violating the state law prohibiting polygamy.

On Wednesday, the Browns are expected to file a lawsuit to challenge the polygamy law.

The lawsuit is not demanding that states recognize polygamous marriage. Instead, the lawsuit builds on a 2003 United States Supreme Court decision, Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down state sodomy laws as unconstitutional intrusions on the “intimate conduct” of consenting adults.

I'm in favor of gay marriage for the same reason I'm in favor of legal polygamy, legalized adult incest, and all the rest - the state really shouldn't be telling anyone else who they can and cannot be in a recognized relationship with, full stop. Unfortunately, I've found that many who agree with gay marriage do not feel the same way about these other types of adult relationships.

Why is it that "equal marriage" only exists for many when it deals with their idea of reality? Should hardcore advocates of gay marriage be lining up behind the Brown family in solidarity and support of their situation? If you believe the US Constitution allows for, if not outright mandates, gay marriage, do you feel the same way here?

Comments

[frodomyhero.livejournal.com]

The "government" only feels they have to intrude when it's convenient for them to make money on it. It's all about the money. No morales , no character, just money. Bet that women had to pay a hefty fine

[majortom-thecat.livejournal.com]

Most of those problems, the experts testified, were rooted in the limited supply of potential wives

This could also be used as an argument against monogamous marriage in areas where there is a high ratio of men to women, but the subjugation of women as a commodity in limited supply wouldn't play out there either.

[majortom-thecat.livejournal.com]

She's going to have a jury trial. She's facing up to 93 days in jail.

[frodomyhero.livejournal.com]

"But you Americans are just crazy about enforcing your drug laws. "
No, it's not "the Americans" its the US government who is bought and paid for by the special interests. We don't live in a democracy anymore- our country is a plutocracy, lobbyists who pay millions of dollars into their politicians campaign, which is called "free speech" and then the politicians are aired on the media in everyone's face, so people vote these guys(women) in and then the politicians are beholding to their "constituents, the American People" who are what the Supreme Court deemed corporations now.
Just look at this video, one of our genius' who is now deceased, but he knew years ago and people still don't listen to him . God bless him. He left the world a funnier place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q&feature=player_embedded

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Ooh sorry sorry. I thought you were talking about a brother and a sister.

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

I'm going to respond to this just so you're not all lonely over here on page 2 by yourself. You're welcome.

[allhatnocattle.livejournal.com]

True enough. I love George Carlin.

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

How many hard charging, successful, educated career women are interested in being the 7th wife of some bearded, fundamentalist sexagenarian patriarch? Even a monogamous marriage is a touch sell these days. And women who grow up in the colonies of polygamous sects often have restrictions on their education and career choices.

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

Imbalances in birth ratios have been noted in some countries, e.g. China, and some specific communities in other parts of the world, where gender selection has become an option. I think it's too early to predict the impact on the treatment of women.
Still, closer examination of the argument raises some interesting questions. For example, it seems that the government is attempting to balance out supply and demand for wives. This is flagrant interference in the free market. Plus, it's a bit weird. Also, the argument makes assumptions about how polygamy will affect the values that society will adopt in the future. Shouldn't the government respect the will of the people in this time frame? It's something to think about.

[majortom-thecat.livejournal.com]

Assuming that wives are a commodity on the "free market"...

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

In some cultures, women may be pressured or forced into marriage. I can't really comment about that. In my own culture, women are not commodities; they are active participants in the process.
Women put themselves on the marriage market or decline to take part. They evaluate offers of marriage and accept the one that maximizes the net present value of the utility they expect to derive from the proposal. If market clearing conditions do not exist, they do not proceed.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

My guess is that none of them would be; are you suggesting these women will be forced into polygamous marriages?

Again, you seem to be assuming that all polygamy is religious based and that restricting polygamy is the only way to protect women from abusive relationships. I'm 100% disagreeing with you and going so far as to call you wrong.

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Well if the issues in sealwhiskers' post are addressed, I don't see why not. I'm honestly too ignorant on the supporting demographics to determine a trend in any direction. That site alone is pretty biased and the wikipedia article on it paints it as a religious phenomenon, but like I said I don't really know so if it's really a big secular thing, why not.

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

It's the argument that is being made in the courts, and as indicated in my other comments, it isn't entirely convincing.