Question on the gay marriage issue...?

Marriage carries a lot of privileges and rights under the law, including spousal privilege in court, community property, the right to visit and make medical/legal decisions for ones spouse during medical emergencies, the right to file joint taxes, the right to medical coverage as a spouse under employee benefits, and the right of joint adoption where both partners have parental rights, among others. In most of the states that allow same-sex civil union some or all of these don't apply, so this not even a case of separate but equal, but of inequality based on laws designed to compel adherence to Puritanical Christian principles of social and sexual conduct. I've known a fair number of gay couples, they'd be all right with calling it something other than marriage if the same benefits, rights, and privileges were included, what has caused the uproar was that California is seen to have voted that same-sex couples are not entitled to those things simply because there aren't enough of them to outvote the people who would deny them full recognition as human beings.*

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "This will not be a permanently good nation for any of us to live in unless we make it a fairly good nation for all of us to live in." I would consider this a perfect example of about what he was speaking.

Advocates for gay marriage are looking for civil, not religious, recognition of marriage. The terms "civil union" or "domestic partnership" are not adequate because they imply that gay marriage is inferior to straight marriage. It is not.

Marriage is a civil institution which allows spouses many rights that are not available to couples in domestic partnerships or civil unions. All people deserve to have the same government-protected rights whether they are in a life-long committed relationship with a man or a woman. Also, civil unions or domestic partnerships are not sufficient to ensure that people of all sexual orientations are guaranteed the same civil rights. The Supreme Court wisely decided that separate is inherently unequal, thus civil unions/domestic partnerships cannot be equal. The fact that they are separated is a badge of inferiority. Many religions recognize marriage as a religious institution in addition to a civil one. However, churches may choose which couples to marry. Also, straight couples are able to marry in a civil ceremony even if they are not religious. This is because the United States does not have a national religion; there is a separation of church and state.

Homosexuals want to be able to marry their partners. Marry. Not domestically partner, or civilly unionize, but Marry; like everyone else. Christians judge homosexuals harshly, and don't want them to be able to formalize relationships that Christians disapprove of. Because our nation has decided that everyone should be treated equally under the law, Christians have proposed creating something different from marriage, just for gays. When that didn't work, they redefined what married means. When asked their reasons, most people will blame their prejudice on Jesus, or make up something about nonexistant church lawsuits and school curriculum. The fact is, that gay marriage was legal in California for six months before the November ballot, and not one of those claims came to pass. The issue is whether or not Christians are comfortable letting other people live their own lives.

There are myriad rights and tax breaks that go along with being married, that unmarried folk don't get to take advantage of. If "Civil Unions" or "Domestic Partnerships" were really that similar to marriage, then we'd just call them marriages and be done. It's about taking rights away from an unpopular minority, simply because we don't like them. Proposition 8 is disgusting, it's unchristian, it's wrong, and it's absolutely unamerican.

The government can't dictate what a religion believes or observes - these debates are strictly about what the state does.

The main issue is that gay people feel they should have the same rights (and benefits) as straight people when it comes to marriage. The details of the bills and the titles vary from state to state. The most hype recently has been about California's Prop 8 - which passed. the law will change their states Constitution, to specifically exclude homosexuals from the dfinition of marriage.

Strictly government recognition.

The government can't force the church to do anything regarding marriage. Civil union is not legal in many states.

Main issue is that gay couples believe they should have the same right to wed as straight couples.

The issue is that marriage is defined as the union between a man and a woman.

I say (but, who cares what I think) that there's so much unhappiness in the world so if two gay people love each other and make each other happy, just let them be married.

I haven't looked at that issue but one thing I know is that gay marriages should not be allowed. /i'm ready for the thumbs down but they are sooo wrong! But that's probably going to happen...this world is changing and most of the time it is getting worst.