Originally Posted by GeorgeK
Let me guess you're single right???
I used to think the same thing when I was single 15 years ago. Now 15 years later, having been lucky enough to be in a very healthy and loving relationship, I want the right to chose to marry.
I want the same protection that my siblings have when it comes to health care rights and decisions as we get older. Yes, we have the wills and all of the legal documents but to walk into a hospital and say "he is my legal spouse" has a lot of immediate rights/privleges without having to dig out a will or living document if you need to get into an IC unit to see your partner.
The word "Marriage" also has a sentimental meaning in this country and I want nothing more than to marry my spouse, legally in this country with our friends and family.
Lastly, just because "marriage" may not be for you, can you at least try to understand and to support those of us who really want too. My partner and I have no interest in adopting or having children but I don't complain when gay families are fighting for adoption rights in FL or other parts of the country. I fully support the cause.
The time is right to PUSH and DEMAND for our right to marry and if you're not for it then don't get married but again, please try to support it.
I love Roseanne Barr when I heard her recently say "why are gay people pushing for marraige anyway, have'nt they already sufferred enough!?"
But seriously, we were so close to getting a legislative majority and stalling Bush, and the "liberal" courts had to put us back on the front burner of scaring the "fundies" to the polls.
Let's want what we want but strive for reality. Reality is that the word marraige scares them way to much, and who ends up losing, we do, year after miserable year. Everytime the fundies run to the polls to vote against us, they pull all the ( R ) levers also. We would already have hospital, tax, and inheritence rights on the federal level if we just hit America with the words "Civil Union". You substitute any polling question out their with those two words and we go way above 50% in almost every demographic. I'll settle for "seperate but equal" , for now. They are too stupid to know that it is the same thing. Eventually enough of them will die off and you can have your "marraige." But in the mean time, let's be smarter than them and just change the words to our benefit. It is only for 10 years or so.
As for marraige, the hetero world has already botched that up badly enough. What is their success rate for this "sanctity", 45/46%. Give me break fundies! If you want to protect marraige and the family, get a constitutional ammendment to ban divorce "outside of God's law." Allow re-marraige only in the event of adultery or death of a spouse. THAT is God's law. AHH, but now they start to squirm, see them, squirming in their pews? Now they are uncomfortable because your pointing the finger of truth at them, the real destroyers of "family values."
As for me, I'm with Roseanne!!