The Republicans? Not interested of course.

[weered1]

Debate last night by Democratic candidates on gay issues

Frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both defended their opposition to same-sex marriage.

I really hope that if either were elected, they would eventually change this stance. Especially Obama. How does he feel about history's "separate but equal" policy?

Hillary went on to say "..

Comments

[felinegroovy]

If by them saying that they are pro-civil union for all, but opposed to marriage for all, then they get some more conservative votes, then so be it.

Its semantics people! What is marriage really? Dictionary.com defines it as:

1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.
2. the state, condition, or relationship of being married; wedlock: a happy marriage.
3. the legal or religious ceremony that formalizes the decision of a man and woman to live as husband and wife, including the accompanying social festivities: to officiate at a marriage.
4. a relationship in which two people have pledged themselves to each other in the manner of a husband and wife, without legal sanction: trial marriage; homosexual marriage.

and a civil union is defined as:
1. a voluntary union for life (or until divorce) of adult parties of the same sex; "parties to a civil union have all the same benefits, protections, and responsibilities under Vermont law as spouses in a marriage"
2. n. A legal union of a same-sex couple, sanctioned by a civil authority.

So marriage defines itself as a pledge to each other, whether legal or not legal, and a civil union is a legal union for same sex couples.

well it seems to me that its all in what you decide to callit. If you have a civil authority sanctioned civil union (hooray to that) and you call yourself married then so be it.

I was once in an unfortunate legal union to a person of the opposite sex (he was a cheating whore), but I don't consider myself as ever having been married (didnt last long enough to feelliekthat).

Although I am for gay marriage and think that it should be called that too, if civil union is what it takes to get it legalized nation-wide, then so be it. Its what you callit in your heart that matters most.

[weered1]

As much as it would be nice to have that be true, it's not just semantics. If we can't call ourselves "married" but "civil unionized", that will keep companies and some states from giving us the same benefits, and keep us from other rights as well.

There's a good little article on the difference between the two here: http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Center&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=16762