Back around 1963 or '64, a guy running for sheriff in Wisconsin published the "rumor" that his opponent had "weird sex" in "unnatural positions."

He was quite handily defeated when the opponent asked: "How would he know - is he a peeping Tom or somethin'?" (There was also a logo resembling "Kilroy was here," with very big eyes that appeared mysteriously on a few building walls, power poles, and other "public information" outlets, bearing the complainant candidates name ...)

When the CIVIL registration and licensing of CIVIL MARRIAGES first began to become common in the US, it was LOUDLY PROTESTED by the churches, to whom keeping the records of THE SACRAMENTS OF MARRIAGE had previously been left.

It was necessary to explain that the MARRIAGE LICENSE was only concerned with the CIVIL UNION by which persons could join together for the joint ownership of property and the obligation to accept JOINT CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY for obligations pledged by either - just as is done for "registration" and "licensing" of a business partnership.

And then to explain again.

And then to explain again.

And ....

Under the US Constitution and the laws of this nation, any religion that would willingly ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT to require a license for ANY SACRED RITE "ain't worth a squirt of piss in a tin cup."

If people in this country would cease half the effort now devoted to their demands to "punish everybody not like me" and devote it instead to learning and understanding the meanings, significance, and proper observance of the rites and rituals of their OWN FAITHs, and the limitations placed on the civil governments authority and obligation to regulate their observance of their own faith there would be NO ARGUMENT about allowing ANY PERSONS qualified and willing to make agreements between them having the SAME CIVIL FORMS OF AGREEMENT as all other persons are permited (or required) to observe.

If you can't state an objection without using the words "Holy Matrimony" or "Sacred Covenenants" or "The Bible Says ..." - in matters of CIVIL LAW - then you are a bigot.<sup>1

1</sup> But of course, no one is born that way. It's just something they choose to do. That makes it okay to despise them. (They're probably an abomination to somebody's god(s). And they're not like me, so they should be punished.)

John