My sexual orientation and my positions on gay rights

[letxa2000]

And, contrary to letxa's comment, marriage has clearly evolved in terms of expectation and levels of equality between partners even in straight unions.

Actually that doesn't contradict anything I said, at least in a material way within the context of the discussion of gay rights.

[CellarDweller]

If what you want is to intentionally offend people that have a more traditional view of marriage then, well, I don't support that endeavor and you shouldn't be surprised that others don't, either.

I don't want to intentionally offend anyone.  I want what my parents have.  They have been married for over 40 years, and my mother has said to me, "I want to dance at your WEDDING, not your 'civil union'."

I want to know how my wedding would affect straight weddings/couples.

[Brown Eyes]

I don't want to intentionally offend anyone.  I want what my parents have.  They have been married for over 40 years, and my mother has said to me, "I want to dance at your WEDDING, not your 'civil union'."

I want to know how my wedding would affect straight weddings/couples.

This is a great point Chuck.

Why would my hypothetical marriage to my girlfriend be offensive to anyone else's marriage?  I truly don't understand.  Why would it even have anything to do with anyone else's marriage? 

[CellarDweller]

I don't expect churches to be forced to hold weddings.

First of all, we have gay churches that would be more than happy to accomodate us.  We don't have to force other churches to perform the ceremonies.

Secondly, plent of straight people get married in courthouses and other secular areas where religion is not used in the ceremony.

There's no reason that gay people can't have marriage.

[letxa2000]

I don't want to intentionally offend anyone.  I want what my parents have.  They have been married for over 40 years, and my mother has said to me, "I want to dance at your WEDDING, not your 'civil union'."

I want to know how my wedding would affect straight weddings/couples.

I have no problem with you having a wedding to celebrate your civil union.

[Brown Eyes]

I have no problem with you having a wedding to celebrate your civil union.

Is this really a matter of semantics or word-choice?  What do you really feel is the difference between a "wedding" and a "civil union"?

[letxa2000]

Why would my hypothetical marriage to my girlfriend be offensive to anyone else's marriage?  I truly don't understand.  Why would it even have anything to do with anyone else's marriage? 

It doesn't effect anyone else's marriage.  But just as you want the word "marriage" to mean something to you--and apparently you think it's important enough to argue about--please understand that there are many others that want the word "marriage" to mean something a bit more conservative and traditional.  It's just how we use the word and it can be argued that it literally shouldn't matter to anyone.  But just as it is is clear that it does matter to you, please understand that it matters just as much to others that disagree with you.

[Clyde-B]

I'm in favor of a federal constitutional amendment that provides for civil unions that have the exact same legal status as marriage.  If what you want is equal rights then that'll do the job and I support it.  If what you want is to intentionally offend people that have a more traditional view of marriage then, well, I don't support that endeavor and you shouldn't be surprised that others don't, either. 

The reason I don't support these efforts at the state level is because if you get into a situation where different states have different rules regarding the matter than you have a headache such as one I read about somewhere where some state (RI?  VT?  Don't remember) couldn't grant a divorce to a gay couple because the state where they wanted the divorce didn't recognize the marriage in the first place.  To avoid that kind of incompatibility, any legal changes should be at the federal level.

What would they find offensive?

[CellarDweller]

I have no problem with you having a wedding to celebrate your civil union.

However, I do.

My relationship is just as loving, as special, and as important as any straight coupling, and it deserves to have THE SAME recognition as theirs does.

When I have a wedding, it will be to celebrate my marriage.

[letxa2000]

However, I do.

My relationship is just as loving, as special, and as important as any straight coupling, and it deserves to have THE SAME recognition as theirs does.

When I have a wedding, it will be to celebrate my marriage.

Well, like I said, please understand that just as you attach importance to the word "marriage," so do others that disagree with you.  So while we may not agree, you should at least understand that it's not hard to understand that people can have just as much interest in blocking the attempts to redefine marriage as you have interest in redefining it.