You Won’t Believe What The Traditional Meaning Of ‘Republican Marriage’ Really Is
You might be surprised at what republican marriage traditionally means. Nowadays, you might think something silly like a man cant marry a man whom he loves, or a woman cant do the same. Yet back in the 1790s, it referred to a rather unfortunate event tying a naked man and woman together and drowning them. Apparently, the use of the term began as a play on words, mocking those of the time for being outraged by the increasing incidence of secular marriages away from church, which was also known as a republican marriage.
Why, and where, was this happening, you ask? Well, it was France, during the French Revolution. More specifically, during the Reign of Terror, which was a period from September 5, 1793 to July 28, 1794 that was noted for absolutely horrifying numbers of political executions, caused by problems between two revolutionary factions, the Girondists and the Jacobins. Basically (my understanding, and Im only an amateur when it comes to history), the Girondists were all like, Hey guys, were against the King too and all, but its getting a little out of control. Then the Jacobins, who had, at this point, been taken over by radicals, were like, Anti-revolutionaries! Kill them! (but in a French accent) and then proceeded to execute over 41,000 people across the country in political executions, largely by the National Razor, the symbol of the bloody revolution more commonly known as the guillotine.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/23/you-wont-believe-what-the-traditional-meaning-of-republican-marriage-really-is/
Don't tempt me. If the GOP wants Republican marriages, should we give them Republican marriages?