Gay marriage, polygamy, and hypocrisy

At the United Nations, the Vatican has joined forces with a bloc of more than 50 Islamic states to block a proposal to extend spousal benefits to the partners of gay U.N. employees from countries where such benefits are legal (e.g., Belgium and the Netherlands). According to The Washington Post, Vatican envoy Joseph Klee says that recognition of same-sex unions is contrary to the Roman Catholic Church's concept of marriage and the family.

Why, next thing you know, the U.N. will be wanting to recognize polygamous marriages. Oh, wait … it already does. According to the Post, "The United Nations has recognized polygamy, a common practice in the Islamic world, as a legitimate form of marriage and permits employees to divide their benefits among more than one wife." With nary a peep, one presumes, from the Vatican or the U.S. mission (which, under the Bush administration, has frequently sided with Vatican and the Islamic governments on "family" issues, and is still pondering its response to the present dispute).

One can only wonder—at the U.N., is it going to be a slippery slope from polygamy to gay marriage?

(Thanks to the Cato Institute's David Boaz for the tip.)