“Don’t let politicians interfere in marriage” the campaign group Scotland for Marriage tells us, at least according to an email someone has forwarded to me that includes the above image. This is in response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on legalising gay marriage, something the government has expressed they are likely to come down in favour of.
Absolutely. I couldn’t agree more. Marriage is something politicians should have nothing to do with. Imagine – passing laws that might impact on marriage! A truly dreadful idea! But to prevent politicians interfering in marriage, I’m afraid we will need to do more than simply prevent gay marriage:
- We need to remove all laws on domestic violence, so often perpetrated within marriages by those who regard spouses as possessions rather than equals, because it’s just political interference.
- We need to repeal all legislation that prohibits forced marriages, because this is simply political interference.
- We need to remove the laws that prevent child marriage, because the right to marry a child is something that politicians have stopped us doing.
- We must get rid of the political decision that polygamy is wrong, because who is a politician to decide how many wives you can have?
- We should stop all this crazy bureaucracy about who can perform a marriage ceremony and when, because the prohibition of sham marriages is just politicians interfering!
- Laws about when and how you can divorce should be scrapped, because any legal protection of your right to leave a marriage is just political interference!
- Laws that incentivise (or indeed de-incentivise) marriage through tax or benefits are just wrong, because that’s just politicians interfering in marriage!
- Any state funding for relationship counselling services should stop now! Otherwise it’s just “big brother” interfering in our marriages!
- The official registration of marriages by local authorities must stop now, allowing us to declare ourselves married to whoever and whatever we want, whenever we want. Some bit of paper we’re forced to apply for in advance that tells us that we’re married is just politicians trying to run our lives for us.
I could go on, but I would only devastate myself with the appalling realisation of the extent to which politicians are interfering in marriage. Right now, in this country, perhaps even in your community and involving people you might know – politicians are dictating how marriage works! It must stop now!
Save marriage from politicians. This could be your last chance.