From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!ihnp4!ihps3!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsovax!hamilton
Newsgroups: net.singles
Title: Re: Marriage as a contract - (nf)
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.1040
Posted: Sun Nov 14 09:30:33 1982
Received: Tue Nov 16 01:34:45 1982

#R:pyuxjj:-34900:uicsovax:20700002:000:1031
uicsovax!hamilton    Nov 14 08:01:00 1982

fer cryin' out loud...  we ALREADY HAVE marriage "contracts".
EVERYBODY who marries "signs" them (even some who don't marry).

unfortunately, it's mostly divorce lawyers who read them.  i'm talking
about the body of statute and common law regarding marriage and family
affairs.  if you don't draw your own, you get the default, which have a
lovely tradition probably dating back to hamurabi.  if you don't like
the lease the landlord gives you, you'll dicker to re-write a clause,
right?  but the single most important legal arrangement you're likely
ever to make, you'll take as-is, no questions asked?!

some people may be objecting out of distaste for glerum's "selfishness"
toward his future spouse; consider that the default marriage contract,
varying with jurisdiction, could also "cheat" her (pension rights come
to mind as an example).

you may think it's criminal to marry with your eyes open; i believe
far more damage is done by the "blind love" approach.
	wayne ({decvax,ucbvax,harpo}!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsovax!)hamilton