Would you marry a second wife to avoid being imprisoned?

I report a conversation I had yesterday with a colleague:

- Sir, you surely heard about the decision of the Eritrean government imposing polygamy.
- Yes, I did.
- What would you do if you were to choose between marrying a second wife and beng sent to prison?

 - This is a tricky question. First of all I don't think I will ever get to face this kind of choice, because the probability of such a situation is rather impossible in this part of the world. But who knows? If I had to choose polygamy just to avoid prison, the choice would be easy. I would happily get a second wife, if it were possible. Unfortunately life is not as simple as that. Other parameters have to be considered. Managing two households would be extremely difficult in a country like Barbados. On the other hand, I am a man with African blood: I would surely go for a second marriage provided society allows it and I have enough money. Therefore money is definitely decisive."

- And what about love? Would you marry a woman without loving her?

- Well, you know exactly that love in this case comes later. The first marriage no doubt is a marriage of love, the second one is of interest. You cannot marry two women and love them equally. When you divorce your first wife, the second wife will never replace the first one. Anyway a man knows how to handle that. Too complicated!
- How do you qualify such a government decision?
- It is a short term, arbitrary and inconsistant decision. It weakens woman and breaches human rights. I wish I never have to make this kind of choice.
- Thank you, Sir.

C