Commenting on a case where a husband and wife have been arrested for kidnapping and torture of a runaway child, Dan Savage notes:
Kelly and Michael Schumacher are legally married–and they can stay legally married, even if they’re found to be guilty of this horrendous crime. They can stay legally married even if the decomposing remains of twenty other teenagers are found buried in their backyard. Their marriage license cannot be revoked.
If Michael dies in prison, Kelly can remarry–even if she’s serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. If Kelly decides to divorce Michael, he can remarry–even if he’s sitting on death row. He can remarry and divorce and remarry and divorce and remarry and divorce until he runs out of prison pen pals.
Because the courts have declared that marriage is so fundamental a right that it cannot be denied to convicted rapists or to serial killers.
But it’s a right that’s denied to me and my boyfriend. Because we’re both men and that ain’t right.
It’s all about Family Values, you know.
(via Pharyngula and DOF)
Dan Savage is just great. 🙂
I always look forward to his stories on This American Life, and his books are good reads:
The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant
The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage, and My Family
and
Skipping Towards Gomorrah
Which was a study of the seven deadly sins in America. His sense of humour is great, and his story telling is worth the price of admission. 🙂
I occasionally find him irritating, but usually entertaining and insightful.
You have to watch out for his logic, though. I wouldn’t put it past those who are opposed to gay marriage to simply say: “Yep! You’re right! We need to make it illegal for convicted felons to marry. I’m sure that will pass a ballot initiative. Thanks for the idea, evil gay person!”
Remarkably enough, I think that even less likely than pass than gay marriage. If nothing else, all those pols have to be concerned about becoming convicted felons and not being able to pick up a new trophy wife … 😛