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From: strickln@ihlpa.UUCP (Stephen D. Stricklen)
Newsgroups: net.legal,net.singles,net.social,net.women
Subject: Re: Supreme Court Ruling on Sodomy (really bigamy)
Message-ID: <1561@ihlpa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Jul-86 07:36:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpa.1561
Posted: Thu Jul 24 07:36:43 1986
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> On a slightly different but similar topic,  what about the laws agains
> polygamy?  In what way does polygamy threaten our society that it is 
> dangerous enough to be outlawed?
> 
> - E. Eades

An interesting point, and I thought about this for a while.  My guess is the
laws were set down to protect women in a time when it was easier for men to
take advantage of them.  One hundred or two hundred years ago women had little
recourse if they suffered abuse at the hands of their husbands.  I see polygamy
laws as one means of offering protection.  Were our society truly free of
sexual discrimination, I would see no reason to keep such laws on the books,
as all parties could make the decision to enter polygamous relationships on
truly free will.

Steve Stricklen
AT&T Bell Laboratories
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