I’m a fan of Anderson Cooper. I believe he is one of the most fair-minded journalist on television. While we disagree politically, he appears to have a deep compassion for people and a good understanding of the complexity of issues our nation faces. From New Orleans to Port-au-Prince and from Joplin to Newtown, Cooper reports with passion and empathy. 

As a semi-regular viewer of his show, AC 360, I have noticed Cooper routinely includes reports about Polygamy. http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/category/polygamy/

Through these reports, it seems Cooper and I share a deep concern over the practice of polygamy and its effects on women and children.

What I don’t understand is why do we share this belief? Why is Anderson Cooper against polygamy? 

If we should not draw any lines in American society and a person should be free to marry whomever they wish, why can’t a man choose to marry two or three or four women?

Cooper and I seem to agree that marriage should not be between a group of people. Lines should be drawn of what constitutes a marriage and what does not. While the general premise that a person should be able to marry whomever they want is a compelling goal, it is not the ultimate boundary.

What’s most important to note is that evangelical Christians are not the only people drawing lines of who should be able to marry and who shouldn’t. Everyone draws lines. Disagreeing over where to draw the lines is understandable. I appreciate Cooper’s views on same-sex marriage, but I disagree with them. My disagreement does not make me a bigot in the same way that his reporting against polygamy doesn’t make him a bigot. We are both drawing lines; we simply disagree over where they should be drawn.