Milwaukee, Wisconsin-Unlike it's neighbor to the southwest, Iowa, the Wisconsin State Senate has passed and Governor Doyle has signed legislation that legalizes "happy" marriages.
"We can't guarantee that your marriage will be gay or carefree but we can make it possible for you to have a happy marriage." The governor is quoted as saying at the signing ceremony outside Miller Stadium, just before the first home game of the Milwaukee Brewer's 2009 baseball season.
Up until the legislation was passed couples in Wisconsin and indeed the nation, were reluctant to call their marriages "happy" for fear that the full force of the law would come down on their unions. The Wisconsin law in effect changes the rules, albeit in a particularly narrow and regionally defined way.
It reads in part: If a union of a man and wife enjoy particular activities together in a pleasant manner then that marriage shall be recognized by the state of Wisconsin as being "Happy" in the eyes of the law.
It goes on to list the particular activities as follows: "If both parties enjoy Friday fish fries, Saturday Polka parties, beer, soaking bratwurst in said beer and grilling said bratwurst at a tailgate party before a Green bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers or any other sporting event on a Sunday, then and therefore said marriage will be deemed to be "happy" in the eyes of the law."
Not everyone is happy with the new law. Advocates of "gay" marriage are especially upset. They say the new law doesn't go far enough.
