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[Trying to be amused instead of, or as well as, disgusted]
OK. So, the bigoted portion of the Texas electorate, working with the illiterate portion of the State Legislature [about which, see Molly Ivins, passim], has eliminated civil marriage in Texas. That's pretty clear: A is A, marriage is identical to marriage, and the amendment says that Texas may not recognize anything "similar or identical to marriage".
Who will file suit demanding that Texas stop issuing marriage licenses, or doing any of the other things that a state does based on marriage, is an interesting question.
But what I'm wondering is, while we know what "identical" means, what counts as "similar" in this context? A Vermont civil union, almost certainly--that's what it's aimed at, after all. Domestic partnership, ditto. But what about, oh, the legal document someone I knew drew up, years ago, designating his best friend as his legal next of kin? They weren't lovers--Richard just wanted someone he trusted to make legal and medical decisions if he wasn't capable of doing so. A will that designates someone other than a blood relative as guardian for a minor child? Joint ownership of a house?
There's money in this for lawyers, sure enough.
OK. So, the bigoted portion of the Texas electorate, working with the illiterate portion of the State Legislature [about which, see Molly Ivins, passim], has eliminated civil marriage in Texas. That's pretty clear: A is A, marriage is identical to marriage, and the amendment says that Texas may not recognize anything "similar or identical to marriage".
Who will file suit demanding that Texas stop issuing marriage licenses, or doing any of the other things that a state does based on marriage, is an interesting question.
But what I'm wondering is, while we know what "identical" means, what counts as "similar" in this context? A Vermont civil union, almost certainly--that's what it's aimed at, after all. Domestic partnership, ditto. But what about, oh, the legal document someone I knew drew up, years ago, designating his best friend as his legal next of kin? They weren't lovers--Richard just wanted someone he trusted to make legal and medical decisions if he wasn't capable of doing so. A will that designates someone other than a blood relative as guardian for a minor child? Joint ownership of a house?
There's money in this for lawyers, sure enough.
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