I <3 Sarah Vowell! Not because I am intoxicated (because I am), or because I am gay (because I am not), or because we are both alums of MSU (I am), but because she already knows that family is FOREVER, which I found out too late . . . that and her little girl voice.

Well said, Sarah!! Spot on, as usual! (And say HI to your Dad, we miss him at MSU!!)

Wait a minute. Sarah Vowell is straight?

Sarah, Isn't marriage supposed to be a religious institution? How can and Why should our government even be involved? Frankly, I find this the closest our government comes to creating a state religion.
Yes, cut the marriage penalty, cut the government involvement, leave marriage to God.
Love Bob

@4 Dude, marriage is an institution of government in our current society and it has been that way for a long time. Over 1,000 legal rights come along with it, so until we have an effective way to designate such rights to any unit of people who want to share in these obligations and responsibilities, marriage as a governmental institution is here to stay. Not that I'm saying every one of these rights makes sense, but it's a whole lot simpler to just convey the bundle of rights to people equally deserving of them than to sort out the many, many, many legal aspects of marriage. Quicker to make marriage an equal institution than to separate that institution from the state and leave a ton of legally married couples in the lurch.

As for RELIGIOUS marriage, that exists too, for people who are religious and want to engage in a religious covenant with each other. Religious and civil marriage keep getting conflated in the gay marriage discussion (which is about CIVIL marriage), particularly by people who believe gays should be kept out of any kind of marriage entirely, and use their own religion to beat the rest of us with their views.

Freedom of religion, separation of church and state - these are critical values to our diverse society.

Amen, sister!

I love you, Sarah. Let's continue not living together.