A lesbian couple wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, saying that they did indeed realize that America needs to "preserve the sanctity of marriage." These two women are in a long-term committed relationship and are raising their children to be tolerant of all people. But hey--if they're allowed to continue doing that kind of thing, they argued, what will become of American marriage as defined by Britney Spears? That has to be protected.

Well, it isn't just Britney who's defining American marriage. How about shows like Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?, Cupid, For Love or Money, The Bachelor, and The Bachelorette (a sexist term, to boot)? The concept of cheap, shallow, quick marriage is all the rage right now, so why bash a pop idol when the same thing is being promoted and talked about all over America?

Don't you just love Amurika, as it's now called? We get lectures on morality from pillhead Rush Limbaugh, gambling addict Bill Bennett, and world-class liar and insider trader George W. Bush. But two people minding their own business and raising their family are a threat to the "sanctity" of marriage in a country in which marriage is treated as a prime-time marketing scheme.