On the Slopes, Two Wives Are Better than One

G. Lee Cook of Salt Lake City wants to get married again, but he is happy with his first and current wife. Unfortunately, according to state law in Utah (not to mention everywhere else I know about), that would be illegal.

I have previously argued that gay marriage bans are unconstitutional. Isn't that a slippery slope argument that will just open the flood gates to polygamy and other mixed metaphors? Why, soon we'll be wanting to grant religious freedom to everybody, even people that don't agree with (gasp!) me!

I say, let's open the gates. Let's slide down that slope. It sounds like fun. (Of course, I live in Colorado, and slippery slopes are an entire industry here.)

Cook, his current wife, and his prospective wife have brought their case to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Utah Assistant Attorney Nancy Kemp argues that it is ok to ban polygamy, because the ban applies to everybody. As far as I can tell, this amounts to saying that it is ok to prevent people who are members of a religion from practicing that religion as long as you don't let anybody else practice it either. An interesting (but vitally flawed) interpretation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

I don't expect the courts to agree with me. But, after all, any judge who doesn't take my point of view is an activist judge and should be thrown from office. Wouldn't be constitutional, but it might be entertaining and ego boosting. And, in fact, that's what it's all about.