A question for liberals

If rightists are going to persist in asking why Americans think as they do, they should not be presumptuous in their many commendable quests for enlightenment.

Most Americans feel that two, single, mutually-committed adults should be accorded equal treatment in marriage, regardless of race, religion, or gender.

Whether a minority "get their panties in a twist" - either over that equal treatment or over consanguinity restrictions - is not only speculative, but is a disparate matter entirely.

Personally, I am not concerned about cousins, be they males, females, or one of each, entering into a marriage contract. In fact, I would extend the right to siblings since many an aged pair find themselves mutually dependent financially and cohabiting as a consequence. They should be accorded the same legal recognition as any other couple.

As for close relatives producing offspring, within or without a state of connubiality, prudence should pertain.

 

What equality are you talking about? The right to marry anyone you wish? Surely that applies for cousins too.

Good points.

I agree a lot of people thing either is fine. I have issues with only those (and there are quite a lot of Americans) who talk about freedom as a logic for gay marriage but will mock others who believe in inter cousin marriages.

Am I to assume the rest don't?

No surprise there.

That's a bit of a slippery slope there isn't it?

There is a lot of scientific research in other countries that says that is only a problem if that is done generation after generation but one off cases is not an issue.

Yes I have seen some of that research but I have also seen cases where doctors warned parents where inter cousin marriages were being performed of the risks of birth defects and their children were born with those issues.

I am sure you have read enough of my posts to know that I am labeled a liberal on this forum far more than I am a conservative. Unfortunately, people here tend to divide in these 2 categories so it was more of a dig at people who divide themselves or others that way. I point our logical consistencies on issues on both sides of the political spectrum.

 

In the deep south of the US where brother and sister fall in love after a drinking party, they should be forced to marry before having children. Cousins too if they choose to be so diversified in choosing a mate.

 

Consanguinity is obviously a valid consideration in reproduction - within or without marriage contracts.

Same sex unions, celibate ones, and those where the couples are infertile due to age or other reproductive incapability need not be concerned, but those with a conceptive potential and intent should be, certainly.

 

I don't know if I'd exactly call myself a "Liberal" although I do agree that gay people should be capable of marriage so I'll go ahead and answer the question.

To be particularly honest I don't give a "hoot" if two people of the same family marry (Sexual in nature or not, for the same reason I don't care if gay people can marry.), I would regard it sort of weird if a father married their daughter or a mother married their son, I'd find it just as weird if a neice married an uncle or an aunt married a nephew. Same as I'd find it odd if a father married a son... (You get the idea.) But what the hell do my opinions matter on the issue? Why do I get a say in what they do?

I don't find marriage an issue of governance, I do not believe there should be incentive or reward from the government (Whether that is Local, State, or Federal) for people to marry and I do not believe marriage is an issue government should be wasting their time on. Marriage is a religious issue... If even that... I know a lot of people who aren't religious at all that are married. (I never understood that because I always regarded marriage as a strictly religious thing but to them it brings their relationship "closer".) I find it nobody elses business (or my own) as to who is marrying who, who is married to who or what their relationship is to the other person, what race, gender, cultural background, etc that they are or come from.

I honestly find it discouraging that so many people want to control others and force them to live their lives by the same "morals" or principles that they have chosen for themselves.

That's just my two cents worth.