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1、READINGSELECTIONATheTransformationofMarriageByStephenBertman[1]Tobesure,oursisnotthefirsttimeinmodernhistorywheneffortshavebeenmadetoredefinetraditionalmarriage.Thecommunalngroupmarriagesnofthe1960sandtheindividualisticnopenmarriagesnofthe1970seachchallengedthenotionofanonnegotiablecontractbetweenon
2、ewomanandoneman.Thefrequencyofcohabitation,whetherasapreludetoorasasubstituteforaceremonywithlegalforce,hasfurtherunderminedtheconceptofwedlockasadiscreteanddistinctivestate.Allofthesechallenges,however,wereorarepredicateduponarelationshipthatisheterosexual,fashionedupontheAdam-and-Evetemplate.Themo
3、strecentandradicalchallengetotraditionalmarriage,however,rejectsthisreligioustemplate.Same-SexMarriage:ActionandReaction[2]Inspiredbytheactivisminthe1960sthatsecuredpoliticalandeconomicrightsforblacksandwomen,Americangaysandlesbiansmobilizedtoendwhattheyviewedasthediscriminatorypracticeofgrantingmar
4、riagelicensesonlytoheterosexualcouples.AslawprofessorWilliamN.EskiidgeJr.hasstatedinhisbook,TheCaseforSame-SexMarriage(FreePress,1996):"Marriageisthemostimportantrightthestatehastooffer,inpartbecausebeingmarriedentailsdozensofassociatedrights,benefits,andobligationsunderstateandfederallaw.”Thesepert
5、aintosuchmattersasparenthood,propertyownership,guardianship,andinheritance.[3]OutsidetheUnitedStates,however,effortstolegitimizesame-sexmarriagehavemetwithmoresuccess.In2001theNetherlandsbecamethefirstnationintheworldtoprovidecivilmarriageceremoniesforhomosexualcouples.In2003,Belgiumfollowedsuit.And
6、in2002and2003,courtsinthreeCanadianProvincesruledthatthedenialofmarriagetosame-sexcouplesconstitutedaviolationofCanada'sCharterofRights.InterspeciesMarriage[4]Theexplorationofouterspacemayresultinthecolonizationofplanets一andthepotentialforthepurposeofreproductiveexperimentsmayrightlyorwronglybedismi
7、ssedasdelusional,theintentofthepeopleofEarthtoexploretheuniverseinsearchofextraterrestriallifeisapracticalreality.Whethersuchextraterrestriallifeexists,orwhetherexplorersfromEarthwilleverencounteritan
