Wherein I talk about Dan Savage’s take on fundamental rights

Written: 2/7/2012

Dan Savage has a fantastic piece over at Slog:

The Supreme Court has ruled time and again—at least when it comes to heteros—that marriage is a fundamental human right. The question we’re wrestling with now is whether gay people are humans and therefore entitled to fundamental human rights. Courts have ruled that states can prevent murderers and rapists and child molesters from living in certain neighborhoods, from voting, from driving. But the state cannot prevent them from marrying

This comes after Santorum told a gay man that he is not entitled to the right of marriage, since it would not benefit society.

Marriages are a benefit to society, two people caring for each other is a benefit.  People who are married keep each other healthier than they otherwise would be.  They are able to work together as a team to raise (or not raise) children.  And marriages offer over 1,100 civic rights, duties and privileges, all of which should be available to everyone.

All my best,

The King of Spades