What are your state's "hot issues?"

[debilorrah]

For my state, CA, it is prop 30 that would make our sales tax the highest in the nation. We already have the highest income taxes here. And our Governor stated that if Prop 30 is not passed he will be forced to cut education even more. Our state is near bankrupt, tuition fees have been increased several times over the past few years, gas taxes are the highest in the nation, and our state assembly still can't make it work.

No on 30 for this gal. I am already taxed to death.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Actually, no where in the US is it legal for brothers and sisters to get married.

These states allow first cousins to marry:

Alabama
Alaska
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Maryland
Mass
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North and South Carolina
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia

(What little time I am willing to look)

Rhode Island law as I read it allows Jewish brothers an sisters to marry. (not that I will claim completely understanding the "previous relations" part of Jewish law)
Ga required direct knowledge of relation before marriage or it is legal. Yes, oddly enough marring relatives an not knowing it till later can happen here.
Alabama will not marry brother an sister but will except those marriages as valid when done elsewhere and/or before the date of the law.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Christianity has never been necessary for monogamous marriage. Look at marriage traditions across cultures and you will find that it is usually one man and one woman. China, decidedly non-Christian, was one of the first cultures to define marriage.

The idea of monogamous marriage has never been an exclusively Christian concept.

 

[Capvin]

(What little time I am willing to look)

Rhode Island law as I read it allows Jewish brothers an sisters to marry. (not that I will claim completely understanding the "previous relations" part of Jewish law)
Ga required direct knowledge of relation before marriage or it is legal. Yes, oddly enough marring relatives an not knowing it till later can happen here.
Alabama will not marry brother an sister but will except those marriages as valid when done elsewhere and/or before the date of the law.

I will not waste time looking up what you claim to be Rhode Island law. I suspect you either misread or made it up. What I can tell you without hesitation is that Jewish law regarding incest is governed by the Hebrew Bible in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Although the reading is complex the list of prohibited marriages is quite long and not only includes sister and brothers but also step siblings.

 

[chickened]

Christianity has never been necessary for monogamous marriage. Look at marriage traditions across cultures and you will find that it is usually one man and one woman. China, decidedly non-Christian, was one of the first cultures to define marriage.

The idea of monogamous marriage has never been an exclusively Christian concept.

That may be true for the common folk but it was not the case for the rulers and chiefs in most ancient cultures. Christianity may not have been the only or first but it was responsible for the modern concept of marriage and the argument against infidelity which is the most popular part

 

[dainerra]

Actually marriage was historically about finances, alliances and monetary gain- the church stance just made it binding to those who might want to leave (and therefore endanger the financial gain of those who were making money off the marital contract) in fact historically children, even adult children belonged to thier parents until they were married and parents had huge influence over who someone married.  Who your father wanted you to marry usually had more to do with money and property than anything else.  Religion just added another layer of control for those who had power over thier children and wards. This was male and female children who were under the control of thier father, though male children still had the benefit of more freedom after marriage and then gained property and control in the form of new wife, future offspring and potential inheritance when his own father died.

Marriage as we think of it today is a modern concept probably no older than 100 yrs or so old. 

In England, the church pushed through laws stating that only they (Church of England) had the power to marry someone. Therefore, if you weren't a member of the church, then you couldn't get married, have legitimate children, children could not inherit property, and, in many instances, such property then became the property of the church. It was about increasing the power of the church/clergy in civil life. The local Bishops then had the power to control who could/could not marry. A healthy donation, of course, always makes the process easier.

 

[KristyHall]

Thats not the only illegal plant...

what is weird is while it is illegal to grow pot, it is perfectly legal to grow opium poppies.

 

[Joe Jordan]

I'd rather grow a plant that hasn't ever killed anyone (marijuana) than a plant that kills millions (tobacco)

 

[mom'sfolly]

Joe J...don't go bringing in rational arguments, that isn't allowed. Although. I do suspect that marijuana smoked in the quantity that tobacco is smoked would cause some deaths for much the same reasons; but I don't really see anyone developing a three pack a day habit with weed.

 

[hemet dennis]

Joe J...don't go bringing in rational arguments, that isn't allowed. Although. I do suspect that marijuana smoked in the quantity that tobacco is smoked would cause some deaths for much the same reasons; but I don't really see anyone developing a three pack a day habit with weed.

I could introduce you to some people that are getting near there.