Britney says more than 'I do'

By now most have heard about the spur-of-the-moment nuptials of America's pop princess Britney Spears. On Jan. 5, after 55 hours of marriage, Britney had a Las Vegas marriage to her childhood friend annulled. According to the petition for annulment, " ... the plaintiff and defendant did not know each other's likes and dislikes, each other's desires to have or not have children, and each other's desires as to state of residency. Upon learning of each other's desires, they are so incompatible that there was a want of understanding of each other's actions in entering into this marriage."\nSays "Mr." Spears: "It was just crazy, man."\nSo that's it. Britney paid her $20 to have the wedding, an extra $8 for a Polaroid of the blessed event, another $200 for its legal demise and it's over. Good old American speed saved the day and booted hubbie to the curb to sit and enjoy his fifteen minutes of fame — which is already over since no one even remembers his name.\nBritney's antics may be passed off as a case of another young adult testing the waters and having a good time. But it can also be viewed as a political statement. All of the presidential candidates are taking a stance on whether or not to allow gay marriages. Governor Howard Dean made a huge statement in his state by signing gay civil unions into law. But only a pop princess such as Britney could upstage all of Vermont by showing how she truly feels about the sanctity of marriage. \nBritney's actions remind us of the true meaning of tying the knot. What is a marriage, really, other than the legal statement that "you can have my stuff, and I can have yours — oh and by the way, if I ever decide to leave you, it will only take two signatures and couple hundred dollars in lawyer fees?" \nIf you get married, great, you have a ceremony to celebrate your devotion to your significant other and all of their stuff. But isn't a partnership more than that? If you love someone, having a piece of paper that shows it doesn't really mean too much — especially when you can tear it up and don't even have to be sober to get it. \nThe speed with which our diva obtained her divorce does more to damage the institution of marriage than does offering loving gay couples the chance to join in wedlock. Many right wing conservatives would lead us to believe that homosexuals and women's rights activists are making a mockery of marriage by trying to change the institution. At the same time, however, they allow it to be easy for a couple to have a quickie wedding and divorce. \n Elizabeth Taylor married and divorced eight men, and she probably would have kept going if she had the energy to do it. I don't doubt that she loved each of these men in some way, but how did all of her divorces reflect upon the institution of marriage? To me, it screamed, "for better only until I find something better or you annoy me." (It also makes me wonder if you are still required to bring a wedding gift to any wedding after number three.)\nI personally applaud Britney for letting everyone know that it's not the paper that makes a difference in a relationship. What matters is the love, devotion and sincerity that one has when they say "I do"