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In Lieu of Equal Rights, Defense of Marriage Offers Some Poetic Justice

Gay marriage advocates may have an uphill battle when it comes to passing laws to protect LGBT rights, but at least in a few isolated cases, there are higher laws at play. These universal laws supersede state and even federal code: The Law of Unintended Consequences and The Law of Karma. Opponents of gay marriage are quick to rise to the “defense” of their sacred institution, determined to use the law to further an agenda of hate and discrimination. But when their own marriages are broken, as 50 percent of them ultimately are, they aren’t’ so concerned about God’s disapproval of their divorces.

Here’s where the universal laws kick in. The Washington Post’s Emil Steiner blogged a story this week about an Orange County, California man who has been ordered to continue to pay alimony to his ex-wife, even though she is now in a state-registered domestic partnership with another woman. Apparently the law requires the ex-husband, Ron Garber, to pay alimony until his ex-wife marries a man or dies. A similar story was reported back in March about a Florida man whose ex-wife underwent sexual reassignment and is now a man whom the ex-husband could not legally marry if he wanted to. Still, the courts say he must pay until his transgendered ex remarries or dies.

Admittedly these isolated cases do little to advance gay rights in the bigger picture. But they do offer a bit of poetic justice in a society so determined to discriminate that they will occasionally cut off their own noses to spite the face of reason.