Bruce Wilson is using extremely spurious thinking to condemn Brad Pitt’s stand on gay marriage, link it to pro-polygamy religious groups, and by extention argue that polygamy should be illegal and therefore those who rightly support gay marriage are wrong . . . is Brad Pitt promoting polygamy?.

I am going to suggest that the author is being somewhat colorful and perhaps loose with image when he says that the folks in the polygamist communities were shouting praises of “Hosanna! Praise the Lord! And thank God for Brad Pitt.” . . . descriptive license perhaps, just as the rest of the “logical” extentions should also be considered more color than logic.

Wilson takes note that Brad Pitt said of his reliationship with Angelina Jolie . . .

Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.

. . . to which Wilson argues while it seems to be a support for gay marriage it must also be considered a blanket argument in favor of legalized polygamy.

The rest of Wilson’s argument against polygamy is specious with no clear reasons to oppose it and more to support the legalization but the conclusion is that since he believes polygamy should not be legal then gay marriage should not.

Wilson does make the blanket statement that . . .

I have yet to meet anyone who supports legal recognition of both gay marriage and polygamy, despite the fact that it should be clear to everyone that an argument for gay marriage is also an argument for polygamy.

He obviously hasn’t come across the Marriage Rights Manifesto which is being pushed by some gay marriage advocates as an expansion of marriage rights beyond the gay marriage issue which inherently supports the rights of many more. He also hasn’t been reading the secular (non-religious) polyamory and pro-polygamy advocates. There are plenty of folks who support the extention of legal protections of marriage beyond monogamy – straight or gay.

When reading Wilson’s piece it seems there are more reasons to argue in favor of gay marriage than against it but although he argues against polygamy he give no reasons to do so, he just assumes it must be a fact. In this his reasoning, just as his colorful projection of Brad Pitt as a pro-polygamist fails.

All the best,
Brian