Mass. Libertarians Supporting ‘Gay Marriage’

Mass. Libertarians Supporting ‘Gay Marriage’

They Create a Split Among Conservative Voters

Are Mass. Libertarians Controlled by Homosexual Activists?

By Curt Lovelace
January 2002

The popular causes of the Libertarian Party in Massachusetts are 1) ending the state income tax and 2) preserving gun owner rights. Most conservative voters agree with those causes, but not with others the Party endorses.

Kamal Jain is the Executive Director of, and an eloquent spokesman for, the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts.

Therefore, MassNews asked him about: 1) the Protection of Marriage Amendment and 2) legalization of marijuana.

In regard to the Protection of Marriage Amendment, Jain replied, “Ultimately people need to face up to their own moral benchmarks. They’ll all be different, because people have different concepts of God and other moral authorities. But as long as they don’t harm someone else, they should not be interfered with.”

He says he knows many Libertarians who are gay, lesbian or transgendered. It’s a practical matter for them to oppose any law that defines marriage in the traditional manner. “Some people think it sounds petty [to amend the Constitution]. Others find it ridiculously offensive to have the government involved at all, just as it’s ridiculously offensive for the government to tax my wages.”

Jain drew an analogy between the defining of marriage in a narrow manner and the taxation of income. He said, “We all know people who cheat the government by hiding money.” What we have done is to “push these people outside the law.” This is an unwise policy, according to Jain. “There are gay people who like to be called married, but they can’t do that in Massachusetts,” he explained.

Asked for an alternative, Jain said he would prefer a constitutional amendment “that says neither the state nor any of the cities and towns should have any say in people’s personal living arrangements.” Eventually, he said, employers and insurers would follow along and provide benefits to all kinds of couples and others in alternative living arrangements.

Wrapping up our discussion with a brief description of the Libertarian viewpoint on marriage, Jain said, “Lots of people have different definitions of what a marriage is. There’s a thousand different views on that. Having the government involved in any way is harmful.”

Taking a moment to explain his view about religion, Jain said, “Religion is a good thing for society because it’s practical. Kosher food regulations aren’t just moral law; they keep people healthy. Religions codified laws, and one day someone realized that if you told people God said this, it works.”

Marijuana Less Harmful than Alcohol

Regarding drug legalization, Jain told us, “Most Libertarians favor outright repeal of most drug laws with controls put in place, as is the case with alcohol.” He said history has taught us, “Prohibition did not work. The war on drugs is just the same thing with modern methods -- and a modern body count.”

He added that a standard belief of Libertarians is that “behavior that adults engage in, they should be able to do without government interference.”

What Jain personally thinks about marijuana, specifically, is that it is “much milder than most alcoholic beverages.” We should legalize its use, he said, and allow a “white market” to operate.

It seemed obvious to ask whether Jain approved of kids smoking pot on the Boston Common, particularly during the annual hemp fest held on that site. He responded that this was a “loaded question.” But he had a ready answer. He does not “believe in a legal definition for adulthood.”

He continued, “You do, however, have to have some controls in society. For alcohol, you have to be 21 to legally consume it. Do that with marijuana too. Make it legal to have access at age 21. There are fewer problems for kids getting marijuana today than a six pack. Maybe the same thing would hold true with controlled access to marijuana.”

We asked him to clarify that statement in regard to the youngsters smoking pot on the Boston Common at the rally in which the Libertarian Party always has a large presence. He responded, “Treat the kids on Boston Common the same way you’d treat them if you caught them with a Budweiser.”

Asked what sort of punishment this offense should bring, Jain said, “The ultimate form of the punishment should rest with the parents, assuming they are responsible. I don’t think the government should be involved in doling out punishments.” He added, “I personally don’t condone certain behaviors. But I respect the fact that people can make their own decisions on their own behavior.”

Carla Howell Was More Cautious

When Carla Howell was asked by MassNews if she would be willing to make a comment on the Protection of Marriage Act ballot initiative, she responded with a quick “no.” When we phrased the question a bit differently, she still hedged, but gave an answer.

We asked, “If you were to become governor, what would your response be to the Protection of Marriage Act?” She responded that she didn’t know what a governor’s role would be in dealing with a constitutional amendment. She added, without answering the specific question, “We need to get government less involved, not more involved in marriage. Government has too big a role. That’s government interference in private contracts.”

Asked how she would deal with domestic partnership issues as governor, Howell responded, “That’s not an issue I’m interested in addressing. Small government on every issue. No exceptions. No excuses.”

When writing this story, we used a capital “L” on the word libertarian to indicate a member of the party as opposed to those who believe in the political goals of the libertarian philosophy.