California and Texas Legalize Gay Marriage

California's top court has ruled as unconstitutional the state law banning same-sex marriages.

Why do people get so worked up over this ridiculous issue?

Personally I think the institution of marriage is borderline barbaric and pretty much uncivilized. I see little good coming from the marriages I've seen. And a lot of divorces and unhappy kids. Except for my mom and dad, they are the exception with a perfect marriage and perfect kids.

When I first moved to Texas I was told by Texans that in Texas the way the common law wife thing worked was if you went grocery shopping together, if you got mail delivered at the same location, if you slept under the same roof and if you both liked BBQ then in the Eyes of Texas you are married.

This was problematic for me in my first abode in Texas because there were 2 males and one female living under the same roof, sometimes shopping for groceries together, getting mail in the same mailbox. And we all liked BBQ. When I realized that in the Eyes of Texas I was living in a polygamous situation I quickly moved out.

It was only later I found out the real rules of common-law marriage in Texas. First off, they don't call it common-law. It's called an "informal marriage." According to Texas Code 2,401 an informal marriage can be established either by declaration via registering at the county courthouse, with no ceremony, or by showing evidence of an agreement to be married, and that you are cohabiting in Texas and that you've represented yourself as married to others.

I don't quite get what this declaration at the county courthouse rule is. You stand in front of the courthouse and shout that you're married? I guess that makes sense.

So, though I'm not a lawyer, it would seem to me that Texas has already legalized gay marriage, making Texas yet again at the forefront of social change in America. Despite its unfair reputation for being a repressive, religious state, Texas is extremely progressive and leads the nation in some areas, like letting anyone legally present themselves as married.

Now that I have a clearer understanding of how one can accidentally find oneself married in Texas I must be careful to not go grocery shopping with a certain marriage minded Puerto Rican sort who likes BBQ.