Letter To The Editor: Privatize Marriage
Commentary: Let's Get The Government Out Of Marriage; Allow Individuals To Make Their Own Marriage Contracts
Commentary By Aaron Biterman
To the Editor:
Lately, homosexual marriages have been a subject of much unnecessary
controversy. The simple solution to the gay marriage conflict is to
privatize marriage. This would put gay relationships on the same footing as
straight ones, without implying official government sanction. No one's
private life would have official government sanction -- exactly as it should
be.
In the last century government intruded upon the marriage contract, among
much else. The modern mistake is to think that important things must be
planned, sponsored, reviewed, or licensed by the government. Let's get the
government out of marriage and allow individuals to make their own marriage
contracts.
Marriage is an important institution. But it's only because marriage is
wedded to the state that it causes a political debate and social friction.
Should the state force employers to provide "benefits" to gay spouses? No,
but neither should the state force employers to provide benefits to
heterosexual spouses.
Both taxes and adoption are state-related activities. If there were no
income tax, the issue of filing taxes jointly would be moot. Given that we
have an income tax, there's no reason why the government can't treat all
kinds of families the same, without resorting to legally sanctioning
"marriage." Similarly, there's no reason why state-controlled adoptions
can't treat gay partners the same as heterosexual ones.
The institutions of marriage and family are actually made stronger in an
environment of freedom where each marriage or family decides for themselves
the parameters of their relationships.
--Aaron Biterman of Brookfield, Wis.
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