Reader’s view: Keep government out of deciding who can marry

A television commercial asked, “Who should decide the definition of marriage?” Then it answered, “We think it should be the people.” It didn’t specifically identify which people, though. I think the people who should decide are those who wish to be married, and nobody else.

Nobody’s marriage is anybody else’s business. If someone wants to add the blessing of their church and involve that church in their marriage, that’s their business, too, and no one else’s.

If anybody is serious about protecting marriage, I suggest they consider abolishing divorce. Let’s take seriously that “‘til death do us part” clause in the marriage vows. Either that or do away with the civil benefits of marriage entirely.

How ironic it is that many of the same people who claim to want government to be less intrusive are the same ones who want to stick government’s nose into people’s private lives in this most intrusive way.

Make no mistake: This amendment has nothing to do with protecting marriage and everything to do with a few people controlling many while further marginalizing a group some don’t like. What’s next? Requiring homosexuals to wear pink triangles in public?

We should never, ever, under any circumstances, use our state or national constitutions to take away people’s rights.

John Mianowski

Grand Marais

Tags: readers views, opinion, editorials, politics, elections, minnesota, family, religion