Poly=many Gamos=marriage
As you have found out, Polygamy is the practice of having several spouses at once. This could technically be more than one husband but, in most cases it is one husband and several wives. Polygamy is illegal in many states and in most states it is a felony. All states in the U.S. have always made different laws against bigamy. (Bigamy is going through another marriage while married to someone already.) Bigamy is a misdemeanor in Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii (30 days in jail), Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee,and Texas. The US laws prohibits a certified married man and women to be in marriage with another male or female. However, there seems to be a small grey area where the laws are put to the side. For example, communities are formed by the LDS (Latter Day Saints Church)and they made up a form of religious practice called "plural marriage". Although Polygamy is unusual to most areas of the United States, there are somewhere between 40-55 thousand polygamist in the U.S.. The lifestyle or crime is treated differently depending on where you are in the U.S. some states you may just have to pay a fine, others you can be prisoned, and some areas in certain states just pretend you don't exist
Oprah-- Polygamy in America
US Marriage Laws
Definition of Polygamy
I find it so interesting that the United States and many other countries are against polygamy, but a committee can come along make up a form of a religious practice that follows the basis of polygamy. "Plural marriage" is acceptable but polygamy isn't? I feel that the government should just make up their mind and decide whether polygamy is completely illegal or just simply not.
ReplyDeleteHey Kels, I agree with you! It is a very grey area for laws in the US!
Deletei find this interesting, if not a little weird, that this is not allowed per say in some states, but looked over and let to continue. Its not that i have a problem with it but i feel that a lot of others would not be very accepting of this because it goes against the social norms. i was even more surprised to find that it is not a misdemeanor in New Jersey seeing as i have lived here all my life and never have i even heard about this around here.
ReplyDeleteYES! Until the show sister wives, I have never heard of Polygamy. However it isn't a major problem if someone is a polygamist in New Jersey, besides how much they would probably be judged by "New Jersey-ins". Maybe that is why it is just a misdemeanor in New Jersey because not many people dare to act like this? Who knows!!!
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