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"MARRIAGE" In The News
(March 2007) |
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The news articles and features presented below are simply an indication of how topical, controversial, and all-encompassing the issues surrounding marriage are throughout our society--and the world-- today. Some of the views and opinions expressed, and their respective web sites, do NOT reflect the views or opinions of The Real Proposal™ magazine. Many are highlighted largely to reiterate that the alarming statistical trends on the chaotic state of "Marriage" and "Family"--outlined in "A Mere Glimpse"--will continue unabated without a fundamental grasp and purposeful dissemination of TRUTH on the issues.
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- How Wives Can Kill Their Marriage: Part
Two TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, Saturday, March 31, 2007
From the negative
reaction I’ve received from cranky women and toxic feminists, as
well as the tremendous positive responses/confessions from honest
and repentant ex- men emasculators, I think I’m on to something
with my “How Wives Can Kill Their Marriage” series. In regards to
screeching female critics of my column, you and I both know that if
I went to town on husbands (which I have many times . . . check my
archives) everything would be cool. I would be loved and hailed by
all the misandrists far and wide. Yes, the man haters would be
giddy. However, when I turn my guns on the girls for their garish
behavior towards their husbands, all of a sudden I’m a sexist, or a
homo, or a . . . a . . . a something. What’s the matter? Can’t take
the heat? Listen, little Miss Can’t Do Wrong, I’m here to tell you
that, believe it or not, you’re capable and oft times culpable for
creating for your mate a living hell that is only surpassed by an
eternal one. . . .Having covered 1) Nag Your Husband and 2)
Disparage Him in Public in my last column, I now offer you, the
man-eater, points three through six for your bitter arsenal. . . .
. .
RELATED
ARTICLE: How
Wives Can Kill Their Marriage: Part One TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, March 24, 2007
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- The (futile) pursuit of
happiness The Daily Mail- UK, By HELEN KIRWAN-TAYLOR, March 30,
2007
Throughout my whole
life, I have striven to be happy. Indeed, on the surface, I have
everything required to reach such a state of contentment: a loving
husband, beautiful children, a nice house, the absence of debt or
physical impediments. However, despite all this, despite my best
attempts to remain positive, most of my waking life is spent in a
state that is far, far short of euphoric. Not that I would ever
dare admit to anyone that I am anything less than blissfully happy.
For in the 21st century, being openly negative, miserable or even a
little unhappy in today's glossy, airbrushed, size zero, Hello!
magazine world, has become a taboo of unspeakable proportions. . .
. . . One of my friends now regrets her divorce, and admits: "I
indulged in how I was feeling in the moment - which was deeply
unhappy - and convinced myself everything would be fantastic if I
just left the marriage, when I should have taken the long view and
put up with some unhappiness." . . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Great
Expectations Psychology Today, By Polly Shulman, March 27,
2007
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- LDS singles are delaying
marriage
Growing trend mirrors national census
data Deseret Morning News, By
Nicole Warburton and Leigh Dethman, March 30, 2007
. . . . . The average age of first marriage for LDS Church
members is approximately 23, said Jason Carroll, assistant
professor of marriage, family and human development at Brigham
Young University. That may not sound old, but the LDS Church
teaches that marriage and family are an important part of
progression both now and in the afterlife. Young adults in the
faith traditionally married as early as 18 during the last half of
the 20th century. Nationally, the average age of first
marriage jumped from 20 for females and 23 for males in 1960 to 25
and 27 in 2000, respectively, according to the most recent Census
data. If the present trend continues, some national
demographers believe that fewer than 85 percent of current young
adults will ever marry, according to the National Marriage Project
at Rutgers University. The study found that nationally, men don't
commit because they want to avoid divorce and want to enjoy the
single life. Foremost, it said the availability of sex outside the
bond of marriage and enjoying the "benefits of having a wife by
cohabitating" were the top reasons for delaying the commitment to
marry. . . . During spring commencement at BYU in 2005, Elder Earl
C. Tingey, then a member of the presidency of the Seventy, called
on singles to take on the adult responsibilities of marriage and
family. He referred to an article in Time Magazine that called
singles who avoid marriage "'twentysomething Peter Pans' who never
'grow up,"' preferring to play and work after college graduation. .
. . .
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- Singer Marie Osmond Getting Divorced
Singer Marie Osmond, Record Producer Husband Brian
Blosil Divorcing After 20 Years Of
Marriage CBS
NEWS- AP, March 30, 2007
Marie Osmond and
husband Brian Blosil are divorcing after 20 years of marriage, the
pair announced Friday. Osmond, 47, and Blosil, a record producer,
have eight children, some of whom are adopted. The two married in a
Mormon ceremony in October 1986, and briefly separated in
2000. "Though our marriage is ending, we continue to have a
very amicable relationship. Our marriage has always been a faithful
one and neither of us is assigning fault for the divorce," they
said in a statement released by Osmond's publicist. . .
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- Britney and K-Fed Settle Up E! Online, By Natalie Finn, March 29, 2007
Now there's yet another thing no longer hanging over Britney Spears' head. Attorneys representing the shorn pop star and estranged hubby Kevin Federline said Thursday that the couple have reached a "global divorce settlement on all issues of their marriage," including custody of their two children. A day after visiting the dentist for the second time in a week to get a painful tooth checked out and a little more than a week after checking out of rehab, Spears met with Federline and their lawyers for five hours, after which they signed off on their agreement, a spokesman for K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told E! News. The terms of the settlement remain under wraps, but sources close to the situation told E! that a TMZ.com report stating Federline walked away with $1 million and joint physical custody of the kids is not accurate. . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Britney Spears & Kevin Federline Reach Divorce Settlement People magazine, By Frank Swertlow, March 29, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: The Top Ten Myths of Divorce: Discussion of the most common misinformation about divorce, with references to social science literature The National Marriage Project- Rutgers University, By David Popenoe, April 2001
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- Navy doc goes from magazine
cutie to TV’s latest
‘Bachelor' Marine Corp Times, By Mike Hughes, March 29, 2007
Navy Lt. Andy
Baldwin, TV’s latest “Bachelor” reality star, seemed headed for a
steady, stable life. He was on a farm near Lancaster, Pa. “I
grew up with a family with modest means,” he says. “Our neighbors
were Amish.” Life moved at a peaceful pace. Then his world
expanded. Baldwin, 30. has gone from Pearl Harbor to the Persian
Gulf, from mountain villages in Laos to a “50 hottest bachelors”
spread in Cosmopolitan. And now he’s the next “The Bachelor” on
ABC. “I had no idea how difficult (it is),” Baldwin says. “I’ve
done the Iron Man six times, but this is hard.”. . . . . One
assumes he could attract a woman without the help of a reality
show. Still, Baldwin says this is logical. “There are people
falling in love in stranger ways.” The track record for the show
has been mixed so far.
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- Halle Cops to Suicide
Attempt E!Online News, By Gina Serpe, March 29, 2007
Halle Berry may be
the image of independence and confidence today, but, of her own
admission, that wasn't always the case. The Oscar-winning
actor has confessed to Parade magazine that she tried to commit
suicide shortly after the demise of her first marriage, to Atlanta
Braves ball player David Justice. Berry, 40, told the weekly
magazine that she attempted to gas herself in her car but pulled
out after realizing how "selfish" the act would be. . . . .Things
went better, though not much, with her second marriage to confessed
sex addict Eric Benet. The twosome married in 2001 and divorced
four years later in the wake of Benet's widely publicized
confession. Berry described the marriage as "really horrific" and
told Parade she wishes she'd gotten out of the ill-fated
relationship a lot sooner. "We were in sex rehab after one year. .
. .
RELATED ARTICLE: Berry
Upset with Suicide Story Hollywood.com, By WENN, April 7, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Halle
Berry - Web Exclusive: PHOTOS &
INTERVIEW Parade.com, March 29, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Halle Berry's Ex-Husband
Fights Back. . . against actress' slurs... Entertainmentwise, By Lowri Williams, June 27,
2006
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- Maine Couple
To Celebrate Their 80th Marriage Anniversary
Together All Headline News, By Shaveta Bansal, March 29,
2007
- Kathleen
and Waldo Tarbell are just three years junior of the couple that
holds the world record for the longest marriage among living
people. Now being married for almost 80 years, the Maine couple has
all the memories of their youth still afresh and plans to celebrate
their big day on Saturday at the Oceanview Nursing Home. Waldo, 101
and Kathleen, who turns 100 in June, met at a dance party in
Charlotte and fell in love at the very first sight. The couple
married in 1927 and since then has been together. . . .
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- Defining
Marriage Down . . . is no way to save it The Weekly Standard, By David Blankenhorn, April 2,
2007- Volume 012, Issue 28
Does permitting same-sex marriage weaken marriage as
a social institution? Or does extending to gay and lesbian couples
the right to marry have little or no effect on marriage overall?
Scholars and commentators have expended much effort trying in vain
to wring proof of causation from the data--all the while ignoring
the meaning of some simple correlations that the numbers do
indubitably show. . . . When it comes to the health of
marriage as an institution and the legal status of same-sex unions,
there is much to be gained from giving up the search for causation
and studying some recurring patterns in the data, as I did for my
book The Future of Marriage. It turns out that certain clusters of
beliefs about and attitudes toward marriage consistently correlate
with certain institutional arrangements. The correlations crop up
in a large number of countries and recur in data drawn from
different surveys of opinion. Take the International Social Survey
Programme (ISSP), a collaborative effort of universities in over 40
countries. It interviewed about 50,000 adults in 35 countries in
2002. What is useful for our purposes is that respondents were
asked whether they agreed or disagreed with six statements that
directly relate to marriage as an institution:
1. Married people are generally happier than unmarried people.
2. People who want children ought to get married. . . .
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- Same-sex marriage opponents rally The Indianapolis
Star- IndyStar.com, By Bill Ruthhart, March 27, 2007
Hundreds of people
attended a rally at the Statehouse this afternoon in support of a
constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The event was
organized by Advance America, a conservative group that has pushed
for the amendment. The group's founder, Eric Miller, called for
House Democrats to allow a vote on the controversial amendment
without making any changes to the proposal. Same-sex
marriages already are illegal in Indiana, but Miller and other
supporters of the amendment say it's necessary to keep activist
judges from creating civil unions, which could carry the benefits
of marriage. .
RELATED ARTICLE: Gay
Marriage Ripe for Court Decisions in Three
States Pew
Research Center Publications, By Christine Vestal, March 1,
2007
- Lilly against gay marriage
ban The
Indianapolis Star- IndyStar.com, By Mary Beth Schneider, March 28,
2007
Eli Lilly and Co. today became the
latest large Indiana employer to oppose a proposed constitutional
amendment banning same-sex marriage. Tony Murphy, Lilly's senior
vice president for human resources, sent a letter to House Speaker
B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, and other legislators saying the
amendment could hinder Lilly's ability to attract employees and
also paint an image of Indiana as an intolerant state. Murphy said
in the letter that Lilly, which employs nearly 16,000 people in
Indiana, has offered domestic partner benefits since January 2004.
. . . The proposed amendment passed the Indiana General Assembly in
2005, but must pass a second time before going to voters for their
approval. The Senate approved the amendment earlier this year, and
now it is awaiting action in the House. It is highly unusual
for Lilly to weigh in on an issue with such large political and
social overtones. And the fact that Lilly doesn't usually speak out
gives its comments this time even greater weight in the Statehouse.
. . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Queer
Inc.: How Corporate America fell in love with gays and lesbians.
It's a movement. CNN Money (Fortune magazine),
By Marc Gunther- Fortune senior writer, November 30
2006
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- The Bee In My Bonnet: We care about what J.Lo thinks -
not! Arkadelphia Siftings Herald, By Dolores Harrington, March 28, 2007
They did it again.
The magazine section that comes with the state newspaper on Sunday
featured a cover photo of Jennifer Lopez this past Sunday. I
know little about Lopez, really just that she's a CELEBRITY. That,
of course, means she's paid major money to do something that will
not make a particle of difference in the scheme of things.
Certainly, the effort that makes her a celebrity won't improve the
quality of life on this planet. The photo on the front is just the
beginning. There is a big spread in the center of the magazine
offering Lopez' words of wisdom (duh!) on a variety of subjects. I
didn't read the story (I have better things to do), but I saw
enough to believe that the woman actually purports to have found
the path to a happy life. I learned from an informant that
Lopez has been married at least three times and has been involved
in several relationships besides her marriages. Now the woman has
been married for under two years, and she's an expert on
everything. Look, if I want advice - or even information - about
love and marriage, I won't be consulting Lopez or any other
"celebrity.". . . . .
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- Wynonna Judd seeks divorce after husband's
arrest The Washington Post- Reuters,
By Pat Harris, March 28, 2007
Country music singer
Wynonna Judd filed for divorce on Tuesday after her husband was
arrested on what police said were sexual battery charges involving
a child under 13. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said
Judd's estranged husband, Dan. R. Roach, was arrested in Abilene,
Texas, as a fugitive after his indictment by a Nashville grand jury
last week. "The indictment is the result of an investigation by the
(local police department's) sex crimes unit that began in late
February of this year," Aaron said. Roach will be returned to
Nashville in the next few days, he said. The sexual battery charges
against Roach were defined as inappropriate fondling and touching
but not penetration, Aaron said. . . . .
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- The Elizabeth
Effect Washington Post Blog- The Fix, By Chris Cilliza, March
27, 2007
During an interview on "60
Minutes" over the weekend, former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) told
Katie Couric that the return of his wife's cancer should play no
role in whether or not voters support him. "There's not a
single person in America that should vote for me because Elizabeth
has cancer," Edwards said. "Not a one. If you're considering doing
it, don't do it. Do not vote for us because you feel some sympathy
or compassion for us." But, just five days removed from the public
acknowledgment that Elizabeth Edwards's cancer was back, it's clear
that her illness -- and the couple's decision to keep the campaign
going -- is having a profound effect on how John Edwards is
perceived. Witness a speech Edwards gave this morning to the
Communication Workers of America in Washington. . .
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- Great
Expectations Psychology Today, By Polly Shulman, March 27,
2007
Has the quest to find the
perfect soul mate done more harm than good? Psychologists provide
insight into how the never-ending search for ideal love can keep
you from enjoying a marriage or a healthy relationship that you
already have. . . . Long live the new marriage! We once prized the
institution for the practical pairing of a cash-producing father
and a home-building mother. Now we want it all—a partner who
reflects our taste and status, who sees us for who we are, who
loves us for all the "right" reasons, who helps us become the
person we want to be. We've done away with a rigid social order,
adopting instead an even more onerous obligation: the mandate to
find a perfect match. Anything short of this ideal prompts us to
ask: Is this all there is? Am I as happy as I should be? Could
there be somebody out there who's better for me? As often as not,
we answer yes to that last question and fall victim to our own
great expectations. That somebody is, of course, our soul mate, the
man or woman who will counter our weaknesses, amplify our strengths
and provide the unflagging support and respect that is the essence
of a contemporary relationship. The reality is that few marriages
or partnerships consistently live up to this ideal. . . .
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- Maybe it was death from
overexposure Miami
Herald, By Fred Grimm, March 27, 2007
. . . . .The size of the media mob. The number of
officials and cops clustered around the podium. The thicket of
camera tripods. The tone of the mean deputy's voice. All indicated
history in the making. I asked a woman next to me in a distressed
T-shirt and stretch pants why she had braved this unruly mob, most
of whom had the excuse of being paid to be there. She gave me a
dismissive look and a terse answer. ``This is historical.'' I'm
pretty sure, unless she was a time traveler, she meant historic. .
. . Yet . . . it felt counterfeit. Faux historic. More like a TV
reality show -- a cheap production from the ratings-desperate
Bravo-A&E-FX-E-USA end of the cable spectrum. A tacky reality
show gone amok. . . . Perper rattled off an astounding bouquet of
antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, painkillers, antibiotics, a
flu drug, vitamin V-12, immunoglobulins and human growth hormone,
some of which had been injected into her buttocks, leading to a
needle infection and yet another complicating factor. Anna Nicole's
mad drug medley brought to mind the deadly combinations found in
the one-time king of pop culture, three decades ago. . .
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- Anna Nicole Smith's death
accidental, Florida officials say International Herald Tribune-
Americas, By John Holusha, March 26, 2007
Anna Nicole Smith died from an accidental overdose
of drugs, officials in Broward County, Florida, said Monday. They
said no criminal activity was involved and they did not expect to
file charges against anyone. Charlie Tiger, chief of the
Seminole Police Department, which had jurisdiction in the case,
said there was "no evidence of illegal drugs" and "no foul play" in
the case, which has been closed. . . . Blonde and curvy, Smith was
a Playboy centerfold, actress and television personality whose life
was marked by financial and legal struggles, an improbable marriage
and tragedy. Her son Daniel, 20, the product of her first marriage,
died on Sept 10, 2006, three days after she gave birth to her
second child, Dannielynn, whose paternity is still in dispute. He
died in his mother's hospital room in the Bahamas, and a medical
examiner hired by the family found the cause of death the
accidental result of the interaction of methadone and
anti-depressants. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Drug Overdose Killed Anna Nicole Smith; Inquest
Into Son's Death Begins This Week AOL Entertainment- The
Daily Pulse, By CHRIS FRANCESCANI- ABC News, March 27,
2007
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- The Ups and Downs of
Testosterone
Testosterone levels are high when men are single, go
down when they marry, and rise when they
divorce Psychology Today, By Annie
Murphy Paul, March 26, 2007
Men who worry
that marriage will tame their wilder impulses may not be far wrong.
Levels of the hormone testosterone, which is thought to contribute
to aggressive and dominating behavior, are high when men are
single, go down when they marry, and rise when they divorce.
Although some men have consistently higher levels of testosterone
than others, hormone levels in all men respond to changes in
status. In anticipation of a competition, for example, testosterone
goes up; after it's settled, the testosterone of the winner rises
further still, while that of the loser goes down. Researchers have
found a similar process in marriage. . . .
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- From Here to
Paternity
Robert Jones has a sales pitch for D.C.’s
marginalized fathers. First, he has to find them. Then, he has to
get them to buy it.
WASHINGTON CITY PAPER, By Amanda S.
Miller
. . . . . “Employment has
always been a major impediment,” says McRae. “Most guys,
particularly young guys, when they have children, if we can find
them employment and get them some life skills—you’ll see they won’t
run away from their obligations. When employment is not there, they
say forget [the mother] and the children. That’s just how men
function.”. . . . Jones grew up in Brooklyn and Queens with a
mother he describes as a very attractive woman who didn’t know how
to pick good partners. When his mother had “company,” she would
lock him and his siblings up in a closet “until that nigga left.”
Jones says his mother was hardly around. She had nine children by
seven men; Jones never even met his father. . . . Out of more than 200 fatherhood grants nationwide,
the state of California got the most money, followed by Maryland,
home of the National Fatherhood Initiative. Third in line: the
District of Columbia. So why are the feds throwing all this money
at D.C.’s dads? In 2004, the latest year for data, more than half
(53 percent) of District children lived with families headed by a
single woman. Study after study shows children living with single
women are more likely to fall into poverty and crime and repeat the
cycle. . . . .
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- Let's talk about sex Belfast Telegraph, By Grainne McCarry and Chrissie
Russell, March 26, 2007
What are young women's
attitudes to sex? And does anyone here really still insist on
walking down the aisle before jumping into bed? Grainne McCarry and
Chrissie Russell ask some very personal questions indeed. . . . I
have had around 40 sexual partners: Aine Kelly (26) lives in
Belfast with 15-month-old daughter Stella and works as a gallery
assistant. She says: I became sexually active when I was 12. I
wasn't in a relationship at the time and I suppose now I wish I'd
waited a bit longer. A lot of my friends were older and they were
all doing it and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm not
one of those people who thinks sex is a beautiful thing that people
should wait for. I've had around 40 sexual partners - I had a bit
of a mad time at university. . . . If you haven't had it, you don't
miss it . . . . .Sharing a bed with someone means a lot. . . . I'll
most likely marry in my early thirties. . . . Ulster attitudes to
sex are so old-fashioned. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Sex and sensibility The Age- Austrailia, By Sophia Cunningham, March 10,
2007
RELATED
ARTICLE: America
Unzipped: Sexual exploration goes mainstream
Seems everybody's engaging in once-fringe acts, but are we
satisfied yet? MSNBC, By Brian Alexander- MSNBC contributor, Dec 1,
2006
RELATED ARTICLE:
The State of Our Marital Unions: For Better or
Worse . . . Mostly Worse Breakpoint.org, By Chuck Colson, July 24, 2002
- How Wives Can Kill Their Marriage: Part
One TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, March 24, 2007
“The wise woman
builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own
hands.” - King Solomon, Proverbs 14.1. . . . . If some of you
ladies want to know how you can suck the life out of your marriage
and drive your husband to insanity . . . or to the bar . . . or
into the arms of another woman . . . or to a divorce attorney . . .
or just shrivel him up into a conquered quail who inwardly loathes
you as he dies a slow, emotionally tortuous death, well then . . .
this is your lucky day. Here are 10 surefire principles that’ll
make your husband more miserable than Donald Trump being forced to
watch Rosie O’Donnell River Dance naked. They are . .
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- Extreme
Fathers of the Bride Real Clear Politics, By Kathleen Parker, March 23,
2007
Those darned patriarchal
Christians are at it again. With "purity balls'' back in the news
-- dress-up affairs during which fathers and daughters profess
their allegiance to sexual purity -- evangelicals once again have
become America's favorite whipping boys. Are these guys weird, or
what? Well, yes, a little. But then again, not really. Purity balls
are an inevitable offspring of a permissive culture that at times
seems more predatory than liberating. The dads and daughters who
"date,'' dance and exchange purity oaths are merely a reactionary
response. Every extreme invites another. . . . Most fathers
generally hope that their daughters will postpone sex until
adulthood, if not marriage. They may know that's an unlikely
proposition, especially once their daughters hit college, where
virginity is considered a sign of abnormality. But sane parents
prefer that their daughters (and sons) not waste themselves on
random hook-ups where sexually transmitted diseases are more likely
to be exchanged than last names. Critics of the purity balls
marshal the usual feminist arguments. The fathers, they say, are
trying to keep women in their subordinate place, reiterating the
oppressive patriarchal structure of Christian homes and the broader
society they seek to control. This position is always offered as
though women have no choice in whom they marry or what religion
they practice.
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SEE RELATED
VIDEO: CARENET PURITY BALL
RELATED ARTICLE: Would you pledge your
virginity to your father? Glamour magazine, By Jennifer Baumgardner, January 2007
Issue
RELATED
COUNTERPOINT: Father-Daughter Purity Ball Iowa Underground Forum Index: The Chimperor's Lost
Clothes
RELATED
ARTICLE: Study: Abstinence pledges may trigger risky sexual
behavior USA Today, March 18, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE &
STUDY: Teens Who Make Virginity Pledges Have Substantially
Improved Life Outcomes The Heritage Foundation-
Center for Data Analysis, By Robert E. Rector, Kirk A. Johnson,
Ph.D., and Jennifer A. Marshall, September 21,
2004
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- Sweden Proposes Moving from Civil
Unions to Legalizing Homosexual 'Marriage' LifeSiteNews.com, By
Gudrun Schultz, March 23, 2007
- A one-person committee appointed by Sweden's government
recommended Wednesday that same-sex couples be given all the rights
of marriage, the Associated Press reported March 21. While the
country permits homosexual civil unions under legislation passed in
1994, same-sex marriage is not allowed. "Two men or two women
should be able to wed, and in the future be called spouses," said
Hans Regner, who carried out the commission. "All the rules for
heterosexual spouses will be applied also to homosexual couples."
Under the proposed legislation, same-sex couples already in civil
unions would automatically be considered married. The new law still
needs Parliamentary approval, but with homosexual "marriage"
receiving widespread support in the country the measure is expected
to pass. . . . .
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- Dungy's stand on gay marriage
reverberates Indianapolis
Star- AP, By Michael Marot, March 23, 2007
Tony Dungy is a deeply religious
man who puts his faith first in his life, even above family and
football. So his support of a proposed gay-marriage ban likely
surprised few. What was surprising is the Indianapolis Colts' quiet
coach shared his position publicly, sparking discussion about the
impact of the Super Bowl winner's comments. Dungy caused a stir
Tuesday when he accepted the "Friend of Family" award from the
conservative Indiana Family Institute. The coach told the audience
he supported the group's efforts to amend the Indiana constitution
to define marriage as between one man and one woman. . . . Dungy is
not the first public figure to draw fire for anti-gay comments.
Former NBA star Tim Hardaway apologized twice after responding to a
question about his reaction to a gay teammate by saying "I hate gay
people." Actor Isaiah Washington, of the hit television show
"Grey's Anatomy," sought counseling after using a gay slur when he
referred to another cast member. Author-columnist Ann Coulter was
chastised for repeating the slur when referring to Democratic
presidential candidate John Edwards during a speech to a
conservative group.
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RELATED BLOG: Is Tony Dungy Like Ann Coulter and Tim Hardaway? AOL SPORTS- NY, Posted By Michael David Smith, March 23, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: The Crime of Conviction: General Pace and Morality Breakpoint.org, By Chuck Colson, March 15, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: I’m not Homophobic; I’m Chick-O-Centric TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, February 24, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Moral absolutes: Judeo-Christian values: Part XI TownHall.com, By Dennis Prager, May 3, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Same-Sex “Marriage,” “Hate Crimes,” and the New Totalitarianism LifeSite Special Report, By Michael D. O’Brien, February 28, 2007
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- South Carolina Bans Gay Marriage EDGE Boston, MA, By
Seanna Adcox-AP, March 23, 2007
South Carolina officially banned
gay marriage Thursday as legislative leaders ratified a
constitutional amendment approved by voters in November. New
Hampshire, meanwhile, moved in the opposite direction, with a state
House panel endorsing the creation of civil unions for same-sex
couples. South Carolina was among eight states with gay marriage
bans on the ballot last year. The measures passed everywhere except
Arizona. Nearly four out of five South Carolina voters approved the
amendment, which reads, "A marriage between one man and one woman
is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized
in this state.’’. . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: House
panel endorses New Hampshire civil
unions EDGE
BOSTON- AP, Mar 23, 2007
RELATED
ARTICLE: Gay
Marriage Ripe for Court Decisions in Three States Pew Research Center Publications, By Christine Vestal,
March 1, 2007
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- In Secret, Polygamy Follows Africans to
N.Y. New York Times, By NINA BERNSTEIN, March 23, 2007
She worked at the
Red Lobster in Times Square and lived with her husband near Yankee
Stadium. Yet one night, returning home from her job, Odine D.
discovered that African custom, not American law, held sway over
her marriage. A strange woman was sitting in the living room, and
Ms. D.’s husband, a security guard born in Ghana, introduced her as
his other wife. . . . . Polygamy in America, outlawed in every
state but rarely prosecuted, has long been associated with Mormon
splinter groups out West, not immigrants in New York. But a fatal
fire in a row house in the Bronx on March 7 revealed its presence
here, in a world very different from the suburban Utah setting of
“Big Love,” the HBO series about polygamists next door. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Fathers
of Bronx fire victims unite USA Today-AP, March
9, 2007
- Defining marriage: Judge must decide whether transsexual
can marry La Crosse Tribune, By CARRIE
ANTLFINGER- AP, March 23, 2007
— By law, marriage in Wisconsin is
described as a union between one man and one woman. But what if the
man is a transsexual? That’s what Barbara Lynn Terry, 58, is
trying to find out. Terry, who changed her name from Ronald
Francis Terry, and Australian Nicole Winstanley, 22, received a
marriage license from Milwaukee County. They have a meeting with a
judge this morning to determine whether he will marry them in a
formal ceremony. There have been similar cases in a handful
of states across the nation, said New York Law School professor
Arthur S. Leonard, an expert in sexual-orientation law.
Judges or appellate courts usually base their decision on the sex
on people’s birth certificates, unlike in Great Britain where
transsexuals can obtain new birth certificates and marry in their
adopted gender, he said. . . . .
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- Judy,
Judy, Judy New York
Sun Politics Blog, Posted by Ryan Sager, March 23,
2007
So, yesterday Judith Giuliani
made it known that Rudy Giuliani isn't her second husband, he's her
third. . . . However, while I've written before about Mrs. Giuliani
as a potential liability, I don't see how this latest disclosure
could do much damage. Republican primary voters know the
mayor's personal life is a mess. Given the magnitude of what people
already know, this doesn't even constitute a drop in the bucket.
And they've gotten it out of the way early. My favorite quote from
Mrs. Giuliani, however, is this: "Rudy and I believe very strongly
in the institution of marriage." Of course they do. They'd have to,
with five marriage between them!
RELATED ARTICLE: Political Video of the Day: Team Rudy &
Judy New York Sun Politics
Blog, Posted by Ryan Sager, March 14, 2007
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Judi Giuliani's Secret Husband
Revealed The New York Post, By
ANDREA PEYSER and MAGGIE HABERMAN, March 22, 2007
-- Rudy Giuliani's wife Judith revealed a
shocker yesterday - the thrice-married Republican White House
hopeful isn't her second husband, he's her third. "Something
I will share with you is that, since I haven't done (many)
interviews .. Rudy and I have both been married three times," Mrs.
Giuliani told The Post in a sit-down interview yesterday, the first
time she has disclosed the bombshell personal information. Even
long-time Giuliani supporters had thought he was her second
husband, not her third. . . . . Mrs. Giuliani described the pair as
having "a great respect for the institution of marriage." . . .
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- JUSTIFYING
MARITAL VIOLENCE: A German Judge Cites Koran in Divorce
Case Spiegel Online International, By Veit Medick and Anna
Reimann, March 21, 2007
He beat her and threatened her with murder. But
because husband and wife were both from Morocco, a German divorce
court judge saw no cause for alarm. It's a religion thing, she
argued. The case seems simply too strange to be true. A
26-year-old mother of two wanted to free herself from what had
become a miserable and abusive marriage. The police had even been
called to their apartment to separate the two -- both of Moroccan
origin -- after her husband got violent in May 2006. The husband
was forced to move out, but the terror continued: Even after they
separated, the spurned husband threatened to kill his wife. A quick
divorce seemed to be the only solution -- the 26-year-old was
unwilling to wait the year between separation and divorce mandated
by German law. She hoped that as soon as they were no longer
married, her husband would leave her alone. Her lawyer, Barbara
Becker-Rojczyk agreed and she filed for immediate divorce with a
Frankfurt court last October. They both felt that the domestic
violence and death threats easily fulfilled the "hardship" criteria
necessary for such an accelerated split. In January, though, a
letter arrived from the judge adjudicating the case. The judge
rejected the application for a speedy divorce by referring to a
passage in the Koran that some have controversially interpreted to
mean that a husband can beat his wife. . . .
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- TV Review: The Tudors
When Royals Become Rock
Stars TIME Magazine, By REBECCA WINTERS KEEGAN, March 22,
2007
A handsome, charismatic young star is bored with his
marriage and worried about his legacy. He distracts himself by
bedding young lovelies, throwing extravagant parties and hanging
out with friends who keep him out of trouble--at least until the
wrong girl comes along. If this sounds like an upcoming episode of
Entourage, then adjust your cultural references back about 500
years and add some tights. The young celeb: Henry VIII. The first
wife: Catherine of Aragon. The friends: Cardinal Wolsey and Sir
Thomas More. The temptress: Anne Boleyn. Sound familiar?. . . . . .
For audiences who like their history juicy, relatable and full of
comforting moral certainties--which is to say pretty much everybody
without a Ph.D.--there may be no better subject than young Henry.
He was a rock star in a glittering, perilous age, an intellectually
curious, athletic charmer who became a uxoricidal, paranoid
turkey-leg chomper, pursuing a male heir through six wives. It's a
wonder it took the entertainment industry so long to fully exploit
him--and the other Tudors too--since the period was one of the most
scandal plagued in British history. . . . . .
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- Terry McMillan Sues Her "Little Fag" Ex The Smoking Gun, March 22, 2007
In the latest chapter of Terry McMillan's legal battle with her ex-husband, the best-selling author yesterday filed a $40 million lawsuit charging him with conspiring to destroy her reputation during their contentious divorce and subsequent legal actions. McMillan's complaint against Jonathan Plummer (and his lawyer Dolores Sargent) follows recent restraining order applications filed by both sides in California's Contra Costa Superior Court. As seen on the following pages, McMillan, 55, and Plummer allege that finalization of the couple's divorce did not lead to a cessation of hostilities. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Terry McMillan Sues Ex-Husband for $40 Million People magazine, By Brian Orloff, March 22, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Can the British Still Call a Cigarette a Fag? TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, March 10, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: I’m not Homophobic; I’m Chick-O-Centric TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, February 24, 2007
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- TV Review: Tori and Dean
Fans, Start Your Engines for Extreme
Marriage New York Times, By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN, March 20,
2007
. . . . Similarly,
reality-television fans are fast acquiring scholarly insight into
celebrity relationships. Surely some pricey marriage clinic could
use our wise analysis of famous couplings. Years of rigorous
training — studious attention to Nick and Jessica, Carmen and Dave,
Britney and Kevin, Travis and Shanna — have, in fact, produced a
sacred algorithm that lets us tell within minutes whether a
marriage conducted largely on television is going to last. (A hint
for the uninitiated: no = zero = 0 = {null set}.) . . . . . Around
Dean, Tori showboats, running even to vaudeville. She uses a high,
little-girl voice, as when proposing sex, and she prances around
for cameras and fans. What’s more, her wiglike hair and giant face
— swollen to clown size in pregnancy — work well for comedy, and
the effect is pretty, in a rag-doll way. Her patchwork image is
heightened by the overalls and brightly patterned clothing she opts
for as maternity wear. It’s hard to imagine that she ever took
herself seriously. Did she? And did anyone ever take her seriously
enough to dislike her, let alone admire her?. . .
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- Halle
Berry Happy Without a Ring Daily Blabber, ivillage, March 20, 2007
You can't really
blame Halle for not wanting to walk down the aisle ever again. The
girl married some real shmucks in the past. Even though Hal has
been dating that cutie model Gabriel Aubry, and is very happy with
him, she's done with making it official. . . . Although marriage
may be out of the question, little Berrys are a good possibility.
"I definitely want children. Very much." . . . Comments. . .
. What a good example she is setting --- live with some dude --
have a baby --- no wonder the younger generation is so mixed up on
values and morals . . . .
RELATED
ARTICLE: Halle Berry
Says No More Marriages People magazine, By Stephen M. Silverman, March 19,
2007
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- Movie Review: I think I Love My
Wife MeeVee- By BlogCritics, March 19, 2007
Chris Rock thinks
he loves his wife. To top that, he also has the delusion that he
has what it takes to make his fans love him for more than just
being a comedian. He is under the impression that he is also a good
writer and director; a thought that has him headed for disaster.
That potential disaster is a little film called I Think I Love My
Wife, which coincidentally was written, directed by, and stars the
iconic comedian as a bored married man who is no longer intimately
acquainted with his wife and it is starting to get to him. Rock
plays Richard Cooper, a successful financial broker with a wife
(Gina Torres), two lovely children, and all the problems that every
married man is faced with: a monotonous routine and worst of all,
no sex. The no sex part is something that Richard was learning to
deal with, that is until the day that Nikki (Kerry Washington)
popped into his life. . . .
ALTERNATE REVIEW: Rock
grows up, on and off the screen San Francisco
Chronicle, By Michael Ordoña, Sunday, March 18, 2007
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- Financial Vows in Marriage:
Did you promise to love, honor, and save for
retirement? Motley Fool.com, By Elizabeth Brokamp, March 19,
2007
When my husband and
I were on our honeymoon, we decided to write private wedding vows,
which were a bit different than the typical "I do's" we'd exchanged
at the church. Why? We hadn't relished the idea of sharing our
innermost thoughts with the 100+ friends and family who bore
witness to our marriage, and flowery promises just aren't our
style. Besides all that, it would have been downright embarrassing
to utter the words, "I vow never to wear big-bottomed undies," in
front of the priest, our parents, colleagues, and former boss. . .
. . In addition to promising to forego the "granny panties"
(although the mental picture still makes me laugh), our private
vows included this wish: that when we are staring at retirement,
we'll focus less on sadness over our empty nest and more on the
joyous opportunity to be a couple again. I fancied us very wise to
think so long term ("forever" seemed synonymous with retirement at
that point), but like so many things about marriage, this promise
was but a beginning. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: For
Richer or Poorer Mother Jones, January/February 2005 Issue
- Who is and isn't marrying, and
why Seattle Times, By Michelle Goodman, March 17, 2007
Move over,
marriage. When it comes to romantic commitment, you're not the only
game in town. While the culture wars rage on — conservatives doing
their darndest to ban same-sex marriage, domestic partners gay and
straight clamoring for the same legal rights as their married
neighbors, and singles shouting, "Hey, where's our piece of the
government pie?" — a funny thing happened: Marriage slipped off its
pedestal. . . . Love still may be a many-splendored thing. But now
that women don't need marriage to secure a roof over our heads
(thank you, Mom, for marching in the '70s), we can afford to be
choosy about whom we commit to, when we commit and if marital vows
figure into the picture at all. The result? Many of us remain
single. Others cohabit. Some shun traditional marriage for a
commitment ceremony. And for those who do get hitched, playing
"wife" thankfully looks nothing like the repressive gender role
many of our mothers were cast in. In other words, when it
comes to commitment these days, we've got options galore. . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Wedded
to Marriage: Invest now or pay later? National Review Online, By Wade F. Horn, Aug 9,
2005
RELATED
ARTICLE: The
Marrying Kind: Which Men Marry and Why The National
Marriage Project- The State of Our Unions 2004, By Barbara
Dafoe Whitehead and David Popenoe
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- Jolie Good Boy: Meet Pax Thien Jolie, Angelina's Newest
Adopted Tot FOX NEWS, Friday, March 16, 2007
Meet Pax Thien Jolie, the 3-year-old boy Angelina
Jolie adopted Thursday from an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam. The boy's name was originally Pham Quang Sang, which means
"brilliant" and is common in Vietnam. But Jolie immediately changed
his name to Pax Thien Jolie, a fusion of Latin and Vietnamese
meaning "peaceful sky." The boy takes Jolie's last name, since
boyfriend Brad Pitt, the father of her two adopted kids and one
biological child, was not listed as a parent on the child's
adoption papers. In Vietnam, couples who are not married are not
allowed to adopt, so Jolie made the trip without Pitt. . .
RELATED ARTICLE: The Tale
of Angelina's New Son TIME magazine, By Kay Johnson/ Hanoi, March 22,
2007
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