Boycott Marriage?

I was perusing Facebook earlier today, when I saw a link for the following website: National Marriage Boycott. Purportedly the group's goal is to get people to NOT marry until everyone can. Their definition of everyone being able to marry is the repeal of DOMA. Now this may seem like a worthy goal and a very creative method of protest, but let's think a little more critically here.

First off, boycotts are just plain stupid. For boycotts to actually achieve anything, the number of people boycotting have to be staggering. Otherwise, it's just an annoyance. Boycotting has FAR more to do with the boycotters than with the company/institution/thing being boycotted. It's about feeling good about activism. And, no surprise, this group was created at that "great" institution Stanford University, where rich kids go to feel good about themselves. The "pledge" to end marriage has just under 1000 signatories. Any guesses as to how many of those will actually take any further action to repeal DOMA? Not very many. This type of movement is all bark and no bite. And only 1000 signatories? The group claims to have chapters at schools other than Stanford, including UCLA, UCSB, and FSU. But only 1000?

Second off, the idea of boycotting marriage is not only ineffective, it is just plain offensive! Inherent in the idea of a boycott is the idea that those who don't partake in the boycottt are either perpetrating some evil or allowing some evil to be perpetrated by their inaction. I find that horrible offensive! As a strong same-sex marriage supporter I find the idea that my marriage is some type of evil to be disgusting. I would love to see same-sex marriage come to pass in this country, but it's not worth my marriage or my wife!

Third, what is this SPECIFIC boycott going to accomplish? Is anyone even going to notice? How many gay or "questioning" people out there are actually planning on getting married anytime soon? Isn't this boycott a little like me determining to personally boycott and not use tampons? I wasn't going to anyway! And who is really going to care? Sure, the supporters will cheer (absent myself obviously), but it's preaching to the choir. Those who oppose same-sex marriage couldn't care less if these kids don't get married! Boycotts usually attempt, and subsequently usually fail, at causing so much harm, usually financially, that someone caves. This movement can effect no real harm on society.

It's pointless, self-serving, and patently offensive. Yep, pretty much what I'd expect from my alma mater....