THIS IS IT. Gay Marriage Goes B4 Cali Supreme Court Today!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Chernabog

Gays and lesbians have been trying for many years to create a "quasi-marriage" relationship via contract -- you think a regular family law divorce is bad? Try dissolving that stuff when it's contractual only. I've been to seminars which talked about this -- and the legal nightmare that is created in trying to "divorce" and/or enforce the contract would turn your curly hairs white (and that's BEFORE you get the attorney's bill).

But I would argue that a large reason this is difficult is because it is forced to operate within the existing structure where government has carved out for itself the primary responsibility for establishing control over such relationships and therefore private contracts must be something less significant.

Also, responsibilities towards children have already been largely rewritten to exist independent of marriage exactly because government defined marriage has proven inadequate to the realities of how people actually live. So I would say it is the current institution of marriage that doesn't seem to take human nature into account and not vice versa (I know it wasn't you that said that part).

But you're right. The idea of state sanctioned marriage and looking to your politicians to define the obligations thereof is way too ingrained to go away. But then, the inherent assumptions of societies sometimes change very quickly so I'll hold out hope.


But again on the topic at hand, good luck and I hope everybody doesn't regret getting what they wished for.