Posted By:
J LevineMore clarity...
First...For those of you that say Civil Unions are just as good and have equal rights are just plain wrong.
People who are married have several advantages. They can file joint tax returns and get tax benefits that are not allowed under Civil Unions.
Married persons are established as kin. Meaning that a gay couple must create legal contracts that arrange things like medical care, death benefits, wills, etc. that are given freely to married couples. This cost alone often precludes people from doing this.
Civil Unions are not recognized by other states. If a person moves to another state the civil union has not validity. Marriages are recognized across state lines.
Civil Unions are not equal rights.
Second...for those of you who say the majority spoke and the rest of us should just accept that are surprisingly short sighted.
Try this scenario...You are driving along your local street where you are t-boned by a truck and paralyzed from the waist down. The majority of people in this country are able bodied individuals where handicap parking, bathrooms, etc. are more of an annoyance than useful. If we go by the logic of the majority is always correct then you as a parapalegic should just have to deal with steps. Both lead to the same doors so you have the same equal rights. Yes, it might be tougher to get some things done but that is okay because the majority says you are equal.
Seperate but equal is a saying that was used often once upon a time and it seems to have come up once again. Whether you are fighting for civil rights for African Americans, people with disabilities, or gay rights you must understand that seprate but equal is just wrong.
Many other laws are there to protect people where the majority would just as well take away their rights. I think that the founding fathers created the ideals of our country so that it will aspire to help even the smallest minority gain justice and equality. This is one of the great things our country and Constitution guarentee.
Joshua