You Got a License For That Marriage?

So, my mind just wanders off into "What if...?"  territory a lot. The last couple of days, here's what I've been wondering.

Several states have amended their constitutions or enacted laws saying that they will not only not allow homosexual marriages or civil unions, but also that they won't recognize such marriages performed in other states.

Are we really at that point? Where a state tells the citizenry of another state "We don't agree with your system of marriage licensing, and we won't acknowledge your marriage"?

If so, then what's to stop a retaliation? For example, Massachusetts could now say "Fine. We also won't recognize any marriage performed in North Carolina as valid in our state, so if you marry in NC and move here, you won't be allowed to visit your 'life partner' in Intensive Care or make critical medical decisions for him/her in a crisis."

And then, where does it end? Refusing insurance bought in other states? Not acknowledging driver's licenses from other states? Invalidating birth certificates? High school diplomas?


All this stems from imposing religion onto law, backed up by intentional ignorance, and bigotry.