For more than just children

Uggabugga has a selection of quotes from Sen. Rick Santorum's interview on FOX News Sunday this week. The man is seriously warped. Below is just one example. Uggabugga also has sections showcasing his views on Civil Unions, the difference between Civil Unions and Marriage, the Separation of Church and State, the Vatican's recent instructions to Catholic politicians, and the viability of someone with "deeply held beliefs" serving on the bench. It's a bit nauseating, but well worth reading.

HUME: Now, you just heard Elizabeth Birch set forth a lot reasons why she thinks the current legal situation, as it deals with gays, is unfair; that, you know, hospital visitation rights and these other things are denied. Do you think that's fair?

SANTORUM: Well, that's a separate issue. I mean, the issue here is marriage. And to me, the building block -- and I think, to most people in America, number one, it's common sense that a marriage is between a man and a woman. I mean, every civilization in the history of man has recognized a unique bond.

Why? Because -- principally because of children. I mean, it's -- it is the reason for marriage. It's not to affirm the love of two people. I mean, that's not what marriage is about. I mean, if that were the case, then lots of different people and lots of different combinations could be, quote, "married."

Marriage is not about affirming somebody's love for somebody else. It's about uniting together to be open to children, to further civilization in our society.

And that's unique. And that's why civilizations forever have recognized that unique role that needs to be licensed, needs held up as different than anything else because of its unique nurturing effect on children.

And there isn't a statistic out there that doesn't show that married couples, in a healthy marriage, is the best environment in which to raise stable children and is the best thing, long term, for our society.

So it's not about not recognizing somebody's love for somebody else. That's not what it's about. It's not being discriminatory against anybody. It's talking about the good that marriage is for our culture.

I've said it before, but I'm going to keep saying it. My marriage is no less valid, real or significant than anyone else's simply because my husband and I have chosen not to have children. To be told that marriage should not be used as an affirmation of love, but rather solely for procreation is beyond pathetic. That may be his view, based on his religious beliefs, but that doesn't give him any right to think that they should be accepted as law in a secular nation.

When I read stuff like this, it makes me angry because I don't appreciate some fanatical busybody denegrating my marriage just because we're childless. But I always know that we are childless by choice. We don't want kids, and we don't have to have them. Thank the Gods for that.

At the same time, though, when I hear that kind of refuse spilling out of the mouth of one of our supposed leaders, I also become infuriated because I can only begin to imagine how those words must feel to couples who want children but can't have them - in many cases even with the help of medical intervention. Everytime some bastard opens his mouth and starts spouting off about how marriage is about the children, yadda, yadda, yadda, it must feel like bullets piercing the hearts of these couple who so desparately want a child of their own, but for whatever reason - be it fate, biology or some even kind of divine retribution - can't.

It seems to me that if Santorum's God wanted marriage to exist, not as a symbol of love, but only as a baby factory, He'd make sure every married couple could have children. Theoretically, it should be well within his power. But in case Mr. Santorum hasn't noticed, that isn't the case. If God doesn't see fit to bless (or curse, depending on your point of view) every married couple with children - or prevent every unmarried couple from producing children - then doesn't it stand to reason that maybe there's more to marriage than just the kids?

Posted by thorswitch at August 4, 2003 02:24 AM | TrackBack