Connecticut became the third state to offer same-sex couples a legal way to unite, issuing its first licenses for "civil unions" Saturday in what seemed too low-key to be a milestone in a cultural fight that has divided the nation.
That makes 2 states with civil unions, and 1 with full marriage. Within a couple of years as many as 10 states may have some form of legal status for gay couples.
unfortunately, we do appear to be going with the separate but equal approach. This is a mistake, and assures that it will take much longer to get this issue fully resolved.
The simple answer to this would be for the government to get out of the marriage business all together. The governments roll has always be civil, but the perception is that it is much greater. Any deeper meaning has come from the religious endorsement of the union, an act our government is excluded from involvement in.
Vermont and Connecticut should do away with marriages, and make all their joining documents for civil unions. Persons looking for a marriage should then go to a church, synagogue or what ever for the religious aspect of the joining.
At that point we achieve two positives. We get rid of the separate but equal ploy that is arising, and we get the state out of the religious business. A true win - win.
1 comment:
"Vermont and Connecticut should do away with marriages, and make all their joining documents for civil unions. Persons looking for a marriage should then go to a church, synagogue or what ever for the religious aspect of the joining."
That is EXACTLY RIGHT! If I were looking to get hitched again, which I'm not, I would insist on a civil union out of solidarity with our gay friends. This whole marriage thing has not made sense to me in long time. Two atheists can go to a justice of the peace right now in and get married, and they are every bit as "married" as Billy and Ruth Graham. Makes no sense the way we do things in this country, but that seems to be endemic to our makeup.
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