Polygamists should be granted the right to a civil union with rights similar to marriage

INTRODUCTION My belief is that the government shouldn't be in the marriage business at all. Marriages should be privatized and between individuals. Of course contracts could still come into play, if people wanted some legal protection for financial reasons and maybe a few other reasons that I haven't considered. I want thank Con for instigating this debate and I look forward to offering some rebuttals my next round. I won't accept an extra round of rebuttals, in the name of fairness. Also on another note. I keep experimenting with my debating style and exploring different arguments, because I'm more concerned about continual improvement than winning. I sincerely hope the readers and judges enjoy this debate, and give me feedback on the style change. The syllogisms aren't a part if the style change, but just there to help the argument flow better. THE HIGHEST GOOD P1- Freedom is the highest good. P2- The governments primary concern should be the highest good. C1- The government maximize freedom. P3- Prohibiting polygamous equal rights restricts freedom. C2- The government should allow polygamists equal rights. This is a formal valid argument and my opponent must prove a premise unsound (untrue), in order to prove my argument wrong. If he doesn't do this my argument stands and I should either tie or win this debate. DEFENSE OF P1 Freedom Is The Highest Good It's no mystery that people love freedom. People have fought and died for freedom through out history, and when a revolution is fought the goal is typically to free it's people. Governments and revolutionary leaders already know that people aren't willing to die for any other cause. We all innately know that freedom is the highest good. It's why all social engineers have to do is spin something as being for freedom and people will put their life's on the line to defend or take it. The revolutionary war was for freedom from a tyrannical despotic government. The civil war was unquestionably about freedom. Both sides of that war would agree to that. All the communist revolutions used freedom as it's flag. People were tired of being slaves to the capitalistic system. Even the recent war with Iraq was spun to be about freedom. No other value has moved men so much. Did you know it's something psychological studies have proven as well. http://m.psychologytoday.com... Pretty much every study on the matter agrees. People value autonomy over everything. Unless we can prove an objective morality that extends outside of the minds or souls of man than we must conclude that freedom is the highest good. Now for the purposes of this debate, I'm defining freedom as autonomy that doesn't come into interference with the autonomy of others. The purpose is because this is what the psychological studies, I've been looking at are ones that verify this is the highest form of good according to almost every individual. DEFENSE OF P2 Role Of Government The government is a tool of man. Created by man, for the purposes of man (or women). In a naturally arising form and not in the form of power hungry individuals it should exist to preserve freedom first and foremost and a far far 2nd should be security. Artificially creating equality other than in terms of equal rights of autonomy isn't what the purpose of government is or should be. Neither is social engineering for some imagined greater good. That's where Republicans and Democrats primarily get it wrong. They are trying to use government for the greater good. It's not the greater good we should be focused on, but the greatest good. I know I just annoyed most of the voting pool, but that's cool. The voters on DDO are actually pretty good and get it right probably over 95% of the time. DIALOGUE FOR C1 The Government Should Be Primarily Focused On Maximizing Freedom If my premises are correct than my conclusion follows. The highest good is freedom, and the government is a tool of man for the purposes of man. I urge the voters to consider this for a while. IN DEFENSE OF P3 Prohibiting Equal Marriage Rights, Prohibits Freedom Autonomy being the greatest good, people should be allowed to marry as many people as they want. The government restricting the rights of polygamists and making them criminals quite obviously interferes with their freedom. P3 is pretty much self evident. DIALOGUE ON C2 The Government Should Grant Polygamists Equal Rights The conclusion naturally follows from the premises. The government restricting the freedom of Polygamists directly contradicts what the role of government is and should be. Anytime the government restricts equality of autonomy, they are acting in violation of their duties and intended role. CONCLUSION I'll move on to rebuttals in the next round. I'm trying to minimize the massive advantage a debate with what amounts to basically 2 rounds gives me. I'll try to keep counter rebuttals to a minimum, but won't promise anything. I advise my opponent to consider more rounds in future debates or at least immediately present arguments in R1. Even if he wins, I still encourage him to consider doing that. Good luck Con, I anxiously await your rebuttals.