idk, im gay and my parents are gay. but i dont think it really matters if they can marry, cuase in the end, they'r the ones that stay together the longest!
(i didnt really read all this, but i get the gist)
Everyone keeps asking why they shouldn't be married, so you tell me what they are gaining from being able to marry, rather than being united as a civil union.
And just like everyone says, I don't want religious reasons, well, I don't want you to answer me with "they'll gain equal rights", instead, give me an intelligent answer of what they will personally gain if allowed to wed....something they will gain that they can't have as a civil union.
Thanks! Looking forward to a couple of good answers...lots of bad answers. lol.
Wise guy...when did marriage become a right?
Special K...they have those rights under a civil union.
Mud Marine...again...they have these right under civil unions...excluding federal taxes, but changing from union to married won't change the fact the federal goverment doesn't recognize gay unions.
The Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal government from recognizing a civil union as equal to a marriage. The Federal Governmetn confers over 1400 separate tax, estate, health and other benefits on the partners in a marriage the instant they sign the license. A civil union confers none of those rights on the partners.
The best solution? Remove the word marriage from every state and federal law, and make EVERY couple - gay or straight - have a civil union. Those who still wanted a 'marriage' could get one from their religious leaders, but that would have NO effect on their legal rights.
Gays and lesbians can already get married in the UCC and other churches, and in the Reform and Conservative Jewish faiths. It's only certain Christian churches that do not marry gays and lesbians. So the religious aspect is already available to them. It's the LEGAL rights that are not.
I believe no person should be banned from being able to marry. It doesn't matter if its Steve and Joe, Kathy and Frank, or Mary and Ellen, it shouldn't matter. Love is love and thats all that needs to be said.
Civil unions aren't recognized on a national level. Which means that even a strong civil union does not give someone the same tax rights etc. on a Federal scale. If your "marriage" is only valid in the state it was performed, going out of that state you lose all of your benefits like visitation etc. Marriage is a legal contract and has nothing to do with churches, a civil union is also a legal contract that has nothing to do with churches, but isn't as strong? Why is that okay? The same legal contract (separate but equal has NEVER worked in this country) shouldl be available to everyone. Civil unions do not afford every single right that a marriage contract does, you can't sponsor a spouse (to immigrate), and divorce is also an issue that civil unions do not address. There are over 1400 legal rights conveyed with marriage, which are not all included in civil unions and which cannot just be "done through a lawyer".
It's all a ploy to gain the support of ignorant people who can't understand the difference between an ethnicity and a sexual preference.
There isn't anything legitimate to be gained other than getting the approval so that they don't feel so nasty and dirty about how they are living.
They don't want their lifestyle to be viewed as sexual perversion no matter how much it is. So if they can marry then they feel that they will be accepted as more than just a perverted human.
They won't though not to those of us who get it and see through the liberal propaganda.
There are many differences in Civil unions and marriage. Civil unions are only available in certain states, and by leaving the state you were married in your marriage can be void.
A United States citizen who is married can sponsor his or her non-American spouse for immigration into this country. Civil unions cannot.
Civil unions aren't regarded by government as true marriage and thus are unable to file joint- tax returns or be eligible for tax breaks that the government offers to married couples.
Overall it's no better than racism or sexism. It's not equality, and because of the xenophobia of religion so many homosexual couples have to suffer. When churches spend 20 million dollars to ban gay marriage in California, and thousands of children are dieing of starvation every day, it's kind of obvious it's bull..
That's like asking why ME as an atheist choose to get married, why? Because! marriage was something celebrated with in families announcing to the world that they only and will love each other till death do us part. Many other cultures it was a reason to keep the blood or money in the family but in other cultures it was about love and families.
The ability to visit their loved one in the hospital in all states, not just those that recognize civil unions; the ability to put one another on health insurance (which is many states you cannot do if you are gay, your lover cannot be on your health insurance), the ability to get the married family tax break on federal taxes. There are three damn good reasons. Now give me three equally good reasons that gay people shouldn't be allowed to marry, that do not include religion.
Well if I was able to marry the girl of my dreams I'd be very happy. So I guess they could gain happiness and yes equal rights. And to think on the really good side it'd be a slap in the face to all those religious bastards.
Insurance, being able to file joint tax forms, right to make decisions for the care of each other, and visitation rights in the hospital. A civil union gives none of those rights.