Modest Proposal Watch

This is from an essay that proposes to "end the same-sex marriage debate" by making everyone's marriage a civil union:

The government's distinction between legitimate and illegitimate marriages takes sides in a controversy that has raged since the formation of the first religions. Many religious groups, which include tens of thousands of Americans, believe in plural marriage or polygamy as a human right and divinely ordained.

Other groups insist on endogamy (marriage within a defined group), while others insist on exogamy (marriage outside of a defined group). While many fundamentalists believe that marriage can only be a union of a man or a woman, other Christians reject this interpretation and embrace same-sex marriage.

OK, "endogamy" and "exogamy" are nice words from Anthropology 101, but how does this enter into a discussion of public policy on marriage in the US? Do you think Jonathan Turley, the author, had some specific groups in mind when he wrote this? Eskimos? He wants the government to stop interfering with cousin-marriages? The author, we learn, is "the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University" and "a member of USA TODAY's board of contributors."

Tags: same-sex marriage, modest proposals, gay lobby, church and state