(December 11, 2007) — Marriage: a union between two people which binds them in the government’s eyes and gives the members of the union certain rights. Marriage is a word shrouded in mystery and dipped in deception. As a country, our system of government, like most things on earth, is not completely fair or just. In this slightly flawed system there seems to be an under-handed battle for power and freedom between state and federal laws. This split between state and federal laws doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in our government as a whole. Getting back to marriage, in Massachusetts, same gender couples can apply and receive a marriage license; that same license can lose all is purpose as soon as the couple leaves the state. The license gives you marriage rights, such as the right to make medical decisions, but as soon as you leave that state, you lose all the rights which marriage entails. Now before we further fall into the mysteries of marriage and domestic partnerships, let’s discuss the need for it. To start, only spouses or family members can make decisions concerning life and death situations and are the only ones who have hospital visitation rights. In some states, people in domestic partnerships have these rights, but in some states these rights are not options. Only a relative of a child can claim custody—a domestic partner has basically no rights. Let’s create a scenario where the U.S. laws work against the best interest of the child. Let’s say that a same sex couple lives in Massachusetts, then moves to Nebraska after five years of marriage. In those years they have adopted three children. By Nebraska law, only one person can adopt the child unless the said couple is married. They live together with their children for 12 years until, suddenly, one parent dies. Unless other, more stringent measures have been taken, the children will be ripped from their home and sent away. Why is it that such a wonderful country has such a division of power? Why is it that based on a region, rights can be taken or given? The day that the U.S. collects its power and uses it to unite the country is the day that the United States of America becomes a country of peace and prosperity.