On marriage
Feb. 20th, 2005 01:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pecuniumJohn Scalzi had this to say about "Covenant Marriage" in Ark.
...just over two thirds of one percent of Arkansas marriages have been covenant marriages since the new variation of marriage was enacted into law in 2001.
Simple reason for that: As a concept, it's pretty damn insulting. "Covenant Marriage" implicitly suggests that people won't stay married unless they subject themselves to onerous governmental restrictions on their personal freedoms; basically, it's the state telling you that it expects you to get a divorce at some point, unless it makes it too annoying for you to get a divorce to make it worth your while. The State of Arkansas is banking on sloth, apathy and state bureaucracy to keep a bunch of bad marriages together, as if bad marriages are really better than divorce."
...just over two thirds of one percent of Arkansas marriages have been covenant marriages since the new variation of marriage was enacted into law in 2001.
Simple reason for that: As a concept, it's pretty damn insulting. "Covenant Marriage" implicitly suggests that people won't stay married unless they subject themselves to onerous governmental restrictions on their personal freedoms; basically, it's the state telling you that it expects you to get a divorce at some point, unless it makes it too annoying for you to get a divorce to make it worth your while. The State of Arkansas is banking on sloth, apathy and state bureaucracy to keep a bunch of bad marriages together, as if bad marriages are really better than divorce."
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no subject
Date: 2005-02-20 10:31 pm (UTC)Did you happen to see The Daily Show's take on this? They had a film clip of Gov. Huckabee and his wife being the first couple to buy into the covenant marriage thing. The Huckabees just sort of smiled wanly and clasped hands, prompting the remark, "You and Mrs. Huckabee may now shake hands in a businesslike fashion." *snerk* And to tell the truth, even though I have no idea whether they consider themselves happily married, they did both look kind of bored and resigned.
Fuck that noise. That's not what I want out of marriage. I've been married and divorced, and I got divorced for a very good reason, thankyouverymuch. If I'd had to stay in that marriage the way it had deteriorated, I'd be but an empty shell of myself. I can't imagine any compelling reason why I should let any religion or government compel me to accept that as a possibility for myself.