Pandora and Polygamy

Jewish World Review ^ | 3/17/6 | Charles Krauthammer

[Crackingham]

And now, polygamy.

With the sweetly titled HBO series "Big Love," polygamy comes out of the closet. Under the headline "Polygamists, Unite!" Newsweek informs us of "polygamy activists emerging in the wake of the gay-marriage movement." Says one evangelical Christian big lover: "Polygamy rights is the next civil-rights battle."

Polygamy used to be stereotyped as the province of secretive Mormons, primitive Africans and profligate Arabs. With "Big Love" it moves to suburbia as a mere alternative lifestyle.

As Newsweek notes, these stirrings for the mainstreaming of polygamy (or, more accurately, polyamory) have their roots in the increasing legitimization of gay marriage. In an essay 10 years ago, I pointed out that it is utterly logical for polygamy rights to follow gay rights. After all, if traditional marriage is defined as the union of (1) two people of (2) opposite gender, and if, as advocates of gay marriage insist, the gender requirement is nothing but prejudice, exclusion and an arbitrary denial of one's autonomous choices in love, then the first requirement -- the number restriction (two and only two) -- is a similarly arbitrary, discriminatory and indefensible denial of individual choice.

This line of argument makes gay activists furious. I can understand why they do not want to be in the same room as polygamists. But I'm not the one who put them there. Their argument does. Blogger and author Andrew Sullivan, who had the courage to advocate gay marriage at a time when it was considered pretty crazy, has called this the "polygamy diversion," arguing that homosexuality and polygamy are categorically different because polygamy is a mere "activity" while homosexuality is an intrinsic state that "occupies a deeper level of human consciousness."

[AmusedBystander]

One wife is more than enough for me.

[goldstategop]

Did I hear someone say HBO? I'm trying to decide when I get to sleep with all my wives. Not at the same time of course.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Dark Skies]

"Polygamy rights is the next civil-rights battle."

I'd like to introduce this guy to my ex-mother-in-law. She could disabuse him of such silly ideas.

[mainepatsfan]

I thought the pilot was pretty good.

[TChris]

Andrew Sullivan, who had the courage to advocate gay marriage at a time when it was considered pretty crazy, has called this the "polygamy diversion," arguing that homosexuality and polygamy are categorically different because polygamy is a mere "activity" while homosexuality is an intrinsic state that "occupies a deeper level of human consciousness."

Stinking polygaphobe! ;-)

[goldstategop]

As long as the women are good looking, I'm pumped up about polygamy. Keep that "Big Love" coming. At least its heterosexual.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[L,TOWM]

I'm trying to decide when I get to sleep with all my wives. Not at the same time of course.

I say, that does kind of defeat the point of the practice, now does'nt it? ;-)

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Hmmm.

[Vicomte13]

Polygamy is not as disturbing as gay marriage, mostly because the whole thought of what Arabs get to do with their harems is naughty but pleasant, whereas the thought...well, you get the picture.

[Russ]

Unless the household is totally dominated by the man it is a recipe for disaster. Polygamy might work in cultures like Islam or those in the Old Testament where women have no rights but it can never work in a society that has equality of the sexes.

[L98Fiero]

"Polygamy might work in cultures like Islam or those in the Old Testament where women have no rights but it can never work in a society that has equality of the sexes."

Nope.

[goldstategop]

There's polygamy and polygyny. The latter is where one woman has several husbands.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[theFIRMbss]

Mom, Dad, meet my wife.
And my wife. And my wife. And
my other six wives . . .

[Rogle]

Another part of the equation of the rule is if love is the sole bench mark then how can you deny a marriage between brother and sister.

Gay marriage causes all kinds of problems.

[Mack the knife]

Best arguement for polygamy:

If Heather can have two mommies ... then why can't she have two or even three mommies and a daddy??


Best arguement against Polygamy:

"What do you mean, both of you will carry my credit cards??"


Best arguement for polygany (multiple men, one woman):

"Goodie .. now I will have two men to pay my credit card bills!"

[goldstategop]

The Ptolemies in Egypt married within the royal family.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[arthurus]

There's polygamy and polygyny. The latter is where one woman has several husbands.

Wrong. Poly means many. Gyn is the root for woman as in gynecology. Polygyny is many wives(women). Polygamy just means many mates. Polyandry is many men (andros).

[arthurus]

...or between a man and hid dog. or alligator.