Marriage Rights for Sadists???

Members of the Christian Right are outraged at the idea that gays might have a right to marry, arguing that only unions that match the desires of God are appropriate. Taken to its logical conclusion, this would entail opposing many marriages, something that easily leads to parody... except that some actually do seem to believe this.

Les Kinsolving writes for World Net Daily:

[I]n Davenport, Iowa, Vice President Cheney made the following absolutely astounding statement in answer to a question asked him at a town hall meeting: "People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to."

[W]hat if Mr. One-Heartbeat-Away in the White House had a daughter who was a masochist who fell in love with a sadist? (And she loved being beaten, as much as her lover enjoyed beating her.) Would Mr. Cheney have announced in Davenport his support of weddings with leather dresses, whips and chains?

Is Kinsolving actually complaining that masochists and sadists shouldn't be free to marry? Surely not.

Then again...

Is there any evidence that any of those who wrote and voted for either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution ever, in any way imagined that their designation of the pursuit of happiness should be interpreted as meaning marriage licenses for sadomasochists? Or for sodomists?

If sodomists and sadomasochists should be allowed to obtain marriage licenses, what other happiness-pursuers should be denied? ... Marriage licenses for sadomasochists. It's interesting, however appalling, to see what's next on the agenda of the Sodomy Lobby.

Columnists like Les Kinsolving (a daily talk show for WCBM in Baltimore) are the reason why World Net Daily is justifiably called Wing Nut Daily by critics. Not only is he a nut, but anyone who would pay him to publish stuff like the above is even more nuts.

Sadists and masochists are currently allowed to marry. There are no laws prohibiting this in any state, contrary to what Kinsolving implies. Sodomists, too, are also allowed to marry because no laws prohibit it — again, contrary to what Kinsolving implies. Kinsolving offers on reasons to think that any of these people should be prevented from marrying or that the currently legal marriages of such people should be nullified.

It is, however, what he appears to believe. Why? He doesn't quite say. I assume that part of the reason is that it contradicts his religious beliefs. The only vague rationale he suggests is that "those who wrote and voted for either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution" wouldn't have approved, but they also probably wouldn't have approved of interracial marriages, either.

In the end, it comes down to religion — and the obsession of some religious nuts (yes, Kinsolving is a nut and that's the kindest word available for this sort of deranged person) with the sexual behavior of other people. Sadly, this is the sort of unhinged mentality is the "base" of President George W. Bush, has political authority in America because of the Republican Party, and is increasing in power over others.

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