State of the union

Thanks to , I actually ended up watching the state of the union address, and ranting at about every other sentence out of bush’s mouth. It was entertaining for me, I hoped it “enhanced” his experience. Mostly it wasn’t about how incredibly wrong he was. More the dangerously deceptive simplifications which he promulgates, and frequently innaccurate.

For an example of what I point out, allow me to point out that Bush isn’t protecting straight marriage. While gay marriage is off limits, and homos are still regarded as somehow anathema in society, they’ll continue to fuck up the straight marriages they’ll get into because they can’t accept their own sexuality. Possibly their kids as well, who will learn what marital sanctity and stability mean from their parents. That is a far greater risk to stable, healthy, heterosexual marriages than the possibility that heteros will get seduced into gay marriage.

The real problem comes from what society sees and publishes all over the place, the brief, spectacular marriages and divorces of the people in the public eye. If you want to improve stability of marriages, either make sure that once together, they stay together (because we like abusive couples being forced to stay together) or make it harder for the fickle to get married in the first place (I’m sure a waiting period on marriage would be popular, especially compared to scapegoating). The final alternative is a cultural one, and thus not really within the power of political leadership: take away the splendor of the wedding ceremony. Quit weighing down marriage with impossible expectations of happily ever after. Make it a solemn declaration of mutual responsibility. No drunken bashes afterwards. No strippers at bachelor parties before (do people really do that?) The marriage ceremonies I’ve most admired were ‘s and ‘s and Virginia’s and . They were simple, respectful, and an affirmation of a commitment already demonstrated.

That’s the least in scope of his problems, but it is representative of his methodology. Hurting people and denying them freedom, for short term political gain, and hanging pretty words on it.