Again, I am not against pre-marriage counseling. But it should be voluntary and it should be with a private counselor whose view of marriage corresponds with that of the bride and groom. It needs to be individualized. It could cover such issues as communication, conflict resolution, hidden agendas and expectations, the place of commitment, the bride and groom's personalities, sexual intimacy and financial issues.
Beyond these pedagogical concerns lies the issue of money. I hear in the paper everyday the central government singing the "no money blues." In a time of government cutbacks, as a tax-payer I am unconvinced that we need to fund more programs of dubious value. It is unlikely that fees charged for the program would cover the expenses of the program -- very few central government programs pay for themselves. The government does enough things poorly; we don't need to add yet another pointless program. Well perhaps there is a point to these classes: potential brides can learn how to respond to these kind of situations. When discovered by his wife, kissing the maid, Groucho Marx said, "I was just whispering in her mouth."
Brian Kennedy is an attorney who writes and teaches on criminal justice and human rights issues.
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