Does Marriage Matter Any More?
That’s one of the many questions that arises in light of the month-long media blitz we’re about to have to endure in the run-up to the royal wedding. If there weren’t a hereditary monarchy in Britain (which I’d be happy to see ended once the present Queen, whom I revere, is gone), then Prince William could have a girlfriend, without marrying her, for as long as he wanted — like the rest of the Western world. Even in the U.S., high-profile politicians don’t feel the need to get married just to be elected or re-elected. Just ask the governor of my state, Andrew Cuomo, who lives with his girlfriend, Sandra Lee. Nobody cares that they’re not married except for a few members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. One of the reasons Cuomo gets away with his current situation is that he has been married. The public tends to be more tolerant of divorced middle-aged persons than single middle-aged persons: at least you’ve had your passport stamped once. Or so goes the silly thinking.
