Constructing Fire-breaks

OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today has an interesting post dedicated to the proposition that (a) homosexual marriages would not necessarily lead to polygamous marriages and (b) polygamous marriages are conceptually distinguishable from same sex marriages because of the empirically observable untoward effects of polygamy.

Well, that goes some distance to answering my question about why polygamy and homosexuality should not be compared. On the other hand, the whole argument seems to be an attempt to construct a last ditch firebreak once the fire leaps the fire lines. For instance, the social costs that the WSJ points to wouldn't be considered costs in a society that considers polygamy normal. The dysfunctions that the WSJ adumbrates would be considered the normal attributes of that healthy, functioning community by members of that community.

Don't get me wrong. I agree with the WSJ's point. I also part company with the libertarians in my belief that society may legitimately structure its institutions within certain limits to promote the development of healthy, responsible citizens who enjoy the maximum amount of individual freedom consistent with the maintenance of that society over time. I believe that the institution of companionate monogamous marriage did more to increase the value of women in society than any other institution. But I don't think that the dysfunctions of polygamous societies answers the argument about why polygamy - or incest - wouldn't be entitled to equal protection once the principle that consensual adult activities are entitled to "privacy" is coupled to the idea that the self-fulfillment of individual desires is the sine qua non of constitutional rights.

I mean, who cares if polygamy developes a class of frustrated males and dependent women so long as we get there through a series of free choices by people who individually are maximizing their own happiness? Likewise, who cares if we foster a subclass of society that is prone to suicide and intra-group violence, so long as members of that group feel they are maximizing their individual utlity at the time?