Mr. Soeth
English 3AP
February 17, 2011
REHUGO Analysis: Government - Current Event
A. "Covenant Marriage Won't Prevent Divorce for Most People" by Don Monkerud (Article 1)
and "Covenant Marriage Can Prevent Divorce" by Katherine Shaw Spaht (Article 2)
B. See MLA Citation for Articles
C. Argument:
a. In the first article, the author concedes that the "covenant marriage movement" only
affected certain individuals, not the average person. Monkerud believes that this was
caused by the failure of adopting the law in most states and those that did adopt the law
had very few couples who had a covenant marriage. Although the concept of a covenant
marriage is still advocated by fundamentalist conservatives, he strongly affirms to the
reader that it will not continue in the future.
b. Katherine Shaw Spaht clearly argues that those who establish their perpetual union
increases commitment and lowers chances of divorce. Therefore, she concedes that there
is more satisfaction in the marriage.
D. Evidence:
a. (Article 1) Don Monkerud applies logos to his article as he states that in Arkansas,
one of the few states that adopted the marriage law, "fewer than 1 percent, took advantage
of the covenant marriage license." He confirms to the reader that the movement failed to make
a significant impact on the American public. He further establishes this by stating that
"[F]ewer than 3 percent of couples in Louisiana and Arizona agreed to the extra restrictions
of a covenant marriage." As a result, only Arkansas, Louisiana, and Arizona accepted the Covenant
Marriage Act.
b. The author also appeals through ethos by reporting the results based on the Marriage Matters
project headed by Steven Nock, a sociologist at the University of Virginia. Monkerud states
Nock's conclusion in order to show how effectual a covenant marriage is: " 'covenant marriage
appeals to a small, distinct group...there is little to suggest that covenant marriage will soon
appeal to a larger more diverse population.' "
c. Katherine Spaht discusses certain requirements that a couple must face under a "covenant
marriage": 1) "mandatory premarital counseling by a religious cleric..."; 2) "...a legal obligation
to take reasonable steps to preserve the marriage if marital difficulties arise..."; 3) "limited
grounds for divorce..." She describes these three instances throughout her article to establish
structure and prove how a "covenant marriage" can prevent divorce.
d. The author also describes how each spouse should behave to preserve their marriage and
maintain a healthy relationship. She defines marriage as "a community in which each spouse is
obligated to love and respect...each other and attend to the other's need..." She also states that
each spouse "has the right and duty to manage the household" and that both individuals must
decide together where they will both live. Spaht emphasizes the spouses' obligation "to maintain,
to teach, and to educate their children" for their futures in order to provide a incorrupt lifestyle.
E. Rhetorical Strategies:
a. (Article 1) Cause and Effect: Monkerud states how fundamentalist conservatives
began to "promote the covenant marriage" and the results of social and political changes from
the Clinton and Bush administrations: "Before Clinton's welfare reforms in 1997 and 1998,
only single women with children were allowed welfare; they were denied if a man was present
in the home..."; "[W]hen the Healthy Marriage Initiative didn't pass last term, the Bush
administration shifted federal funding into marriage initiative programs..."
b. Appeal through Credibility (Ethos): The author provides anecdotes and expert testimony
from people such as Phil and Cindy Waugh, Center for Family and Demographic Research,
Governor Mike Huckabee, Barbara Risman, Steven Nock, and Dennis Stoicia to give credit to
his argument of how covenant marriage does not prevent divorce.
c. (Article 2) Definition: Spaht provides explanations of a "no-fault divorce," where a
"lawyer need not allege a fault ground for divorce and prove it by factual evidence designed
to fit within jurisprudential interpretations of what constitutes adultery, cruel treatment, or
habitual intemperance," and "covenant marriage" to strengthen her argument of how effective
covenant marriage decreases the need for divorce.
d. Process Analysis: Spaht also states how divorce lawyers handle cases based on "economic matters,
such as alimony or division of marital property," as well as describing the procedure and results
of Steven Nock's project, "Can Louisiana's Covenant Marriage Law Solve America's Divorce
Problem?" She uses process analysis to document how covenant marriage does prevent divorce.
F. Although some may view "divorce" as the solution to marriage, others may view it as immoral in the
sense where it decreases the value of marriage. Therefore, "marriage" should be held sacred to two
particular individuals who will "forever" love each other regardless of the struggles in the past, present,
and future. A perpetual union between two religious persons greatly increases the chances of commitment
due to the morals that were brought up with the individual.
MLA Citations for Current Event:
Monkerud, Don. "Covenant Marriage Won't Prevent Divorce for Most People." Counterpunch (8 Feb. 2006)
Rpt. in Divorce. Ed. Mike Wilson. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
Spaht, Katherine Shaw. "Covenant Marriage Can Prevent Divorce." Ave Maria Law Review (22 June 2006)
Rpt. in Divorce. Ed. Mike Wilson. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
thorough
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