In this country right now"gay marriage" is a hot button topic. It should not be though, as legal marriage is a civil status not a social or religious one. Everyone should have the option to legally marry. This is a matter of civil rights. Disallowing same sex marriage is discrimination. Religion, according to the constitution, has no place in government. I welcome any non morality based(since morality considering homosexuality is religion based) debate for why it's not recognized federally, and thereby made "the law of the land" in every state. Others opinions on marriage cannot be allowed to bar groups from civil rights. If my religious values dictated law a lot of monotheists would be very angry. I am, proudly a pagan. My religion does not care about the gender of partners. My religion upholds women in a way that this still very much male centered country isn't prepared for. My values can be easily summed up"'An it harm none, do as ye will". There are many things that would change under this principle.



On the topic of marriage there is another point I will address. Multiple marriages, throughout history, have been legal. In some countries they still are. The current marriage laws could be tweaked to make polyamourous marriage doable. This can be proven because Mormons, who have one legal wife, but culturally recognize all wives make it work, as well as other countries making it work. Any combination of people of an age to consent should be allowed to marry. No variation of marriage can cheapen another. The only way a marriage can be undermined is by the people in it.



These issues are important to me because I am both bisexual and polyamorous. I am very much committed to two people. They likewise are committed to each other and me(the common term being triad). I have been asked if I'd marry them were it legal. I said maybe(they know my reasons for being a bit wary, none of which involve a lack of commitment or love). It is not a just thing that should I wish to marry them I cannot. In any state I could marry the man I love. In 6 states, with others on the way to recognizing it, I could marry the woman I love. No where in this country could I marry both. We have discussed hand fasting once we are all physically together(long distance for the moment); hand fasting is a pagan commitment ritual. We show our love for each other everyday. We also could incorporate like a company so that we could gain many(if not all) the rights marriage affords. Relationships like mine are just as valid as any other and should be legally recognized as such.