On Friday the Republican National Committee elected Wisconsin GOP leader Reince Priebus as its new chair, to succeed former Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, who withdrew from seeking a second term. Priebus, little-known outside of Wisconsin, defeated three other Republican operatives to lead the party, and now must begin raising money for the 2012 election cycle.
During the RNC Chair debate on January 3, Priebus and the other candidates were asked their position on same-sex marriage. Priebus' response: "It’s foundational in our lives...I don’t believe anybody should be denied dignity in this discussion, everyone should be loved. But at the end of the day, I believe that marriage — through the sanctity of marriage — should be between one man and one woman."
Ah, yes. Ye old "sanctity of marriage." According to Dictionary.com, sanctity is defined as "holiness, saintliness or godliness" or "a sacred thing."
This, of course, brings up two questions.
1) If marriage is so sacred, why do many people—including many opponents of same-sex marriage—cheat on their spouses, divorce, remarry and sometimes divorce and remarry again?
2) Aren't church and state supposed to be separate? If so, why should our lawmakers be allowed to cite religious reasons for opposing same-sex marriage?
Marriage is, actually, a legal institution, which is why people can marry at a justice of the peace's office or in a threadbare "marriage chapel" in places like Las Vegas. People aren't required to marry in a religious institution, so why can it be considered a religious act when it's expedient to do so?
(Please keep in mind these questions are rhetorical, because I know that there are no logical answers. However, I do keep on hoping...)
Maybe one day all of our political leaders can focus on what is important instead of what they most care about. Maybe one day...
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