Why does a nation of free people need permission from the State to form a union BETWEEN TWO CONSENTING ADULTS?
Marriage licenses have not always been necessary. Their requirements have only been needed in recent human history. They were designed by social engineers to control who can and can't marry. The miscegenation laws were enacted by the State to prevent the undesirables identified by the State from marrying. I believe that the recent gay marriage controversy is an offshoot of these misguided laws. Gays and lesbians should never be discriminated against and should have the rights that all other American citizens have. I just don’t believe that they should have special rights. They have civil unions that cover all of the legal bases and they are free to celebrate their unions in any way that they please. If a church, like the Episcopalian church is willing to marry them, then the State has no business interfering. Likewise, if the church, like the Catholic church refuses to conduct gay marriages, the State should not force the Catholic church to do so. When all of our freedoms are protected, an amicable social balance will be reached without the States interference.