This has confused me since I was 12.

Post #388,355 by mmoffitt 4/9/14 11:31:04 AM Reply	This has confused me since I was 12. And I still don't understand it and I think it highly unlikely that I ever will. I say this as someone who has been married for more than 30 years to the same woman. Why in the name of all that is holy would a sterile couple (or fertile couple who don't want children for that matter) get married? It defies reason.
Post #388,359 by malraux 4/9/14 11:51:56 AM Reply	Taxes and legal rights. Same reasons a gay couple might wish to get married. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #388,361 by drook 4/9/14 11:55:51 AM Reply	And how about ... It's long been the culturally-accepted way of publicly proclaiming your devotion to the person you love. -- Drew
Post #388,366 by mmoffitt 4/9/14 12:45:03 PM Reply	Don't know about you, but our taxes went up. Remember the "marriage penalty"? Might pre-date you. That was back when it was understood by everybody that marriage caused a financial hit to society, made up by taxing married couples higher - until they had kids.
Post #388,371 by malraux 4/9/14 2:41:06 PM Reply	Oh, right. Gay people would never adopt a kid. You sidestepped the other reason as well, Bryce. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #388,373 by pwhysall 4/9/14 3:16:51 PM Reply	Bryce is the reason? I don't wanna know.
Post #388,375 by mmoffitt 4/9/14 4:12:08 PM Reply	Name calling? Incredibly, I apparently have still not made clear that I have no objection to gay couples enjoying all the legal rights, privileges and responsibilities as married couples. Since I had issue with the accuracy of only one of the two things you mentioned, my reply was directed at the one of the two with which I took issue.
Post #388,379 by Another Scott 4/9/14 4:40:17 PM Reply	"No objection"?!? Your argument here seems to be too subtle and too strident at the same time. You seem to me to be objecting a great deal to gay people coming out with fanfare, or getting married, or expecting to be treated as a customer when they want a service from a company. How is that not "objecting"? It's an understandable position to dislike and argue against the concept of gay marriage. Or even "sterile marriage". :-/ But to simultaneously say that you've got no objection to people being treated equally doesn't make any sense. IMHO. People are treated equally, or they're not. "Separate but equal" isn't equal. What am I missing? Thanks. Cheers, Scott.
Post #388,380 by mmoffitt 4/9/14 4:45:58 PM Reply	Maybe one of my posts? If this whole "marriage equality" question had instead been posed as, "Should homosexual civil commitments (or whatever phrase) receive all benefits under the law and be recognized as being the equal of marriage?" you'd have heard nary a peep from me. http://forum.iwethey...iwt?postid=388345 My father used to have a saying, "Let's agree to call a spade a spade." I just don't want to call a spade a shovel.
Post #388,384 by crazy 4/9/14 4:56:44 PM Reply	Doesn't matter We went through this with Beep. Separate but equal does not work, many thousandS laws and millions of contracts would need to be rewritten then litigated. So no point in building that straw man, it would never happen and merely a distraction.
Post #388,363 by crazy 4/9/14 12:20:38 PM Reply	Cornerstone cultural significance Most of us are raised with that as part of our life goals. Get a good education, get a good job, find someone to share the rest of our lives with, gather in social groups (couple hang with couples), get married, raise kids with the same values, grow old, play with grandkids. Not all of us want all of this, but we are well programmed to at least achieve what we can within our own abilities and desires. I already had kids before I was married to my current wife, both from previous marriage and with her. And then I got snipped. And then I got married. It was probably the highlight of my life. I was watching the wedding video yesterday. Drook, Scott, you looked good. There will be no more kids. Me getting married did not change any of the current kid's status (at least that I'm aware of). So, as someone who got married simply because I was (and still am) in love, I understand the desire of others, no matter what gender, to do so. Beyond that, I can envision end-of-life issues where I'd want her voice to trump my families. Marriage gives her that right without forcing any additional paperwork that can be challenged in court, which is a very common problem with gay couples, especially when the birth family is anti-gay and kicks the partner out of the hospital room. I know you don't care, since it is all so alien to you. You'll keep fighting and bringing it up, and we'll keep countering, since you will never see the world through another set of eyes. Oh well. BTW, your use of the phrase "all that is holy" is pretty telling.
Post #388,367 by mmoffitt 4/9/14 12:46:48 PM Reply	Heh. I wouldn't read too much into that meaningless intensive. ;0)

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