Sealing the deals

Yes, every U.S. state and the federal government should replace the word “marriage” with “contract” in all statutes [Counselor At Large, December 2009]. I would be glad to trade in my 1960 New Haven, Conn. marriage certificate for a “civil union” one (with my marriage remaining on the books at Christ Church Episcopal) as soon as federal tax laws and other statutes have been revised.

Any two people (including siblings and friends) should be able to create a Limited Liability Corporate Contract to support each other and any children cited in the contract, with the provisos that each adult may contract with only one person at a time and that any child may have a maximum of two parents (recognizing that multiple parentage/polygamy/polyandry cause too much risk of exploitation).

Marriages, of course, by religion or any other private ritual, would continue. I, too, would prefer that same-sex couples be accorded the dignity of marital status. Evidently, such is not in the cards anytime soon, in town hall or tabernacle.
— Kenneth McElheny, Brookline, Mass.