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Plural Marriage And a Dinner On Pennsylvania Ave
The President has announced that he and Mrs. Romney will welcome the ben Dovid family, a plural marriage Jewish family from Utah. to dinner at the White House.
This recognizes the new Utah law recognizing the right to form a plural marriage. The law was written after last year’s 7 to two decision of the Supreme Court that Utah’s prohibition against plural marriages is unconstitutional. The issue was brought to the court in the case of the state vs ben Dovid. Mr. Dovid, a Karaite Jew, sewed for his right to have his marriage to three wives recognized under Utah’s laws. Writing for the majority, Justice Scalia wrote, ” Marriage is not a Federal right. Each state must make its own laws . The inclusion n Utah’s constitution of a ban on plural marriages was written to conform to a federal requirement for entry of the territory into the Union. The intent and therefore the law is unconstitutional.”
At that time the President welcomed the ruling about his home state and noted, “The ruling does not mean that the Ms’s ben Dovid are now Mrs. Utah, like all other states has the right to make laws uncontaminated by accommodation to federal mandates. However, as an American and as the grandson of a plural marriage, I urge my fellow Utahins to support the ben Dovid family’s right to religious freedom. I see the effort by this lovely Jewish family as in the traditon of my own grandparents. While Ann and I are committed to the rules of the Church of Later Day Saints, we encourage all Mormons to welcome members of other Mormon churches with different beliefs.”
The new law in Utah recognizes the minority of break away Mormons who honor the principle of plural marriage. The Mormon Church, however, has said that it will not change its strict policy of monogamy. The Church will, however, welcome its sister Churches to hold plural marriages under the freedom of religion.