This is an interesting article related to same sex marriages where the Iowa county which declined to issue marriage licenses to the gay and lesbian plaintiffs offered no particular governmental reason for not issuing the marriage licenses.

The Marriage Question

Why not get the government out of the marriage discussion altogether? Let the churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, etc., handle marriages—after the couples have their domestic partner licenses. Not every couple would choose to marry, but the government can require licenses for all domestic partnerships. That would take care of recording the certificates, the legalities of taxation, survivor’s rights, hospital visitation, inheritance, and so on. Then those partnerships would not have to be just between cohabitating husbands and wives. There are many old people with no children who would benefit from living with their old widowed sister or brother, and thus both could have some tax benefits and a legally defined sharing of expenses. More and more old people who own a home can’t afford the taxes or the upkeep and have a dear friend in similar circumstances. They could live together as licensed domestic partners, again with tax benefits and legal protections. Obviously, there would have to be rules and agreements worked out on the money arrangements, especially if they have previous heirs, but it would be better than both of them winding up in nursing homes or having to move in with their children. Certainly there would have to be strong rules against the licensing of short-term roommate situations. AARP, please see what your readership thinks of this.

When I married in a religious ceremony in 1959, not only did we have to go to the government first to get our license, we also had to have a blood test. In the face of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, should we also re-institute blood tests? Is it worth the financial cost?

Although this totally isn’t my picture – I had a video camera at the event for the organization that I work for, so I was unable to take my own shots – I totally had to share this with everyone. The shot was taken from on top of the stage in the front of the gymnasium at the West Hollywood park across from the Pacific Design Center on San Vicente and Santa Monica. It shows the amazingly crazy media mob that took over while George Takei (yes, of Star Trek) and his partner, Brad Altman, got their marriage license in WeHo.  How romantic, right? 

Actually, I just realized that you can see me in the french blue polo on the right side of the image jockeying for a place with my video camera over the heads of other media folks in front of me.  That’s highly entertaining.

In fact, here I am too, filming the opening press conference (blurred, sitting down, french blue polo again, left side): 

I have no idea why I find these photos so amusing. 

Really all I wanted to say was that it was incredibly exciting being present at such a historic moment – and that the media are kind of like man-eating piranhas (whom I apparently fit in too well with, because I forcibly ejected from the main room after disobeying the “no filming” policy).  Oh – and that I never want forget the sound of the small tinkling bells mingled with applause inside the gym everytime someone’s number was called to go up and get their marriage license. 

I’m not a big proponent of marriage, at least not marriage in an assimilationist way (unless that’s what you want); however, it was nonetheless an incredibly moving event to witness.  Also, have I mentioned that I was paid to be at this event?  How cool is my job!     

For more photos of the media circus that occurred at the park when WeHo started handing out marriage licenses on Tuesday, check out the West Hollywood Gets Married photostream on the City of West Hollywood’s official Flickr account.

(Photo credits: Brett White) 

The governor is about to receive a bill that is stirring some discussion in the state. The cost of a marriage license is “proposed” to be “wed” to pre-marital counseling. If the couple has gone through an eight hour counseling course on how to be good mates, the license is free. If you reject the counseling, the cost will be $60, twice the current fee!

What do you think?