by Robert Schmid

Created on: January 09, 2009

Marriage the Union of one Man and one Woman!

On November 4, 2008 the people of California voted to amend the State Constitution to include this statement: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Why was this vote and amendment necessary? No doubt there are many diverse reasons why 52.1% of the people voted in favor of this amendment, but the single and primary issue involved is the use of the word MARRIAGE when applied to a union of same sex couples. It is the word MARRIAGE that proponents of this amendment want to retain as applicable only to a union of one man and one woman. Opponents of this amendment, in contrast, are not satisfied with just living together or partaking of all legal rights through available DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP arrangements, but insist on using the term MARRIAGE for their same sex partnerships.

What is the history and significance of the word MARRIAGE? No doubt, MARRIAGE has served many diverse purposes and satisfied many different objectives at different times and places in human history. However, there are some universal reasons and definitions of the word MARRIAGE that have found acceptance in most societies on earth. Traditionally MARRIAGE by definition means the union of a man (male) and a woman (female) for the purpose of procreation, and to establish the legal father of a woman's children. Since same sex couples are not able to procreate, for obvious reasons, they cannot fall under this common definition of the word MARRIAGE. In other words, the objective of the California amendment is to maintain the definition of the word MARRIAGE to the union of a man and a woman. Same sex couples can call their union a DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP or coin any other name, just NOT MARRIAGE.

Another word closely related to the word MARRIAGE is the word FAMILY. Again, the objective of same sex couples is to become and be known as FAMILY, after all, the purpose of MARRIAGE is to become FAMILY. But again, there are some universal reasons and definitions of the word FAMILY that have found acceptance in most societies on earth. Traditionally, FAMILY by definition means a father (male), a mother (female) and children (male and female). Two males, or two females, no matter how many children they may adopt, cannot be called FAMILY, for obvious reasons, under the traditional definition of the word FAMILY.

Of course, a given society can decide by majority vote or court dictate that starting tomorrow red will be called blue,

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