Civil unions?

Question

My state, New Hampshire, today became one on 4 states allowing civil unions. "This legislation is a matter of conscience, fairness and of preventing discrimination," said the governors spokesman Colin Manning.

My question is "what is wrong with the other 46?"

http://www.wmur.com/news/13192864/detail.html

I don't need you to quote the Bible to me. I have read it many times and understand it well.

This isn't "marriage". It is "equal protection under the law."

Marriage is a religious ceremony. Civil unions are legal contracts. Please try and distinguish between the two.

Answer 1

I guess you just have to pitch it lower and slower, buddy. Draw it large for them with chalk.

"Equal protection under the law."

They read your words, but interpret what they want.

It's like,"I hear the words emanating from my mouth...what is it they don't understand?"

My opinion is: any couple of any gender that can keep a relationship together for 8 years is "beating the odds" for divorce. Face the ugly statistics; heteros have not done all that well in keeping things together. Why should they claim the right to set standards?

Furthermore, who feels that they are so righteous, principled and masterful in constitutional law and social justice, that they have the right to "close the door" on social and political "evolution" by denying gays the right to marry?

Let's take a brief look at American history; specifically how LONG it took supposedly "Christian" people to come to their collective senses about social inequalities.

It took us 89 years before we ended slavery with the 13th Amendment.

It took us 94 years to ratify the 15th Amendment which originally gave blacks the right to vote.

In 1919, we took a giant step backward with Prohibition, and it took us another 14 yrs. to figure out that it was a stupid and unenforceable idea.

It took us 142 yrs.to ratify the the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

It took us 188 years to REALLY give blacks the right to vote, by repealing the poll tax with the 24th Amendment, and to pass the Civil Rights Act.

And it took us 195 years to figure out that if men we old enough to die in war, they were old enough to vote.

So, basically, it took almost 200 years from the birth of this country, for us to come to the conclusion that these aforementioned things were WRONG with our society, and correct them.

And now, people think that suddenly "social evolution" will just come to a grinding halt, and we can just refuse same-sex couples and and all equality and equal representation under law or social justice?

This is as "far" as we can go with equality?

Answer 2

Regardless of what the bible says(which I believe the words were misinterpreted and misconstrued by man), I truly believe that a couple that is truly in love that happens to be of the same sex should be able to legally marry as a man and woman can. I don't believe that our God would discourage or be against that when the two people truly love each other. God wouldn't be prejudice in that way and I donot agree with those that try to pass that on as the truth.
The divorce rate amongst heterosexuals is way too high, and I think partly it's b/c so many people take that privilege of marriage for granted. And then there are those homosexuals that want to be recognized as a legal married couple yet they're denied that right.
I've heard many sad stories about gay couples that are in committed relationships, and one half of the couple passes away, and everything that they built together-a home, a family, all other assets are ripped away from that surviving mate all b/c they weren't able to legally marry and the relatives of the deceased mate cruelly took everything away from that mate.
That is totally unfair and unacceptable to me.
Gay couples should be able to be recognized as legally married. I don't see why people feel they have the right to fight them. It's their right! It's scary that this country is too much involved in trying to control others and remove them of their rights just b/c they don't agree with them.
Issues like this doesn't make me feel that our Country is really FREE when our government and those Americans that are against issues like this only want to CONTROL people.

Answer 3

The problem is that the other 46 are in thrall to the religious right, politically speaking. The US is very conservative overall, and as time goes on and the extreme right wing stays in power, it is becoming increasingly radicalised. It's hardly surprising that civil unions are a hard thing to sell.

For a country that yells about freedom and live-and-let-live so much, it's a bit ironic that so many fight so hard to inflict their religious views on others.

Answer 4

Letting gay couples marry doesn't harm anyone. I don't
care what anyone says, no gay couple will try to make
your child gay.
Not letting gay couples marry is discrimination, regardless
of how people are trying to get around it, making a new
law 'civil union' - to unite a couple under a different
title because of sexual orientation, is discrimination.

Answer 5

Marriage, by definition, is between a man and a woman. Equal protection/discrimination really doesn't apply here.

Answer 6

i agree with you completely!

and it's great to see a fellow New Hampshire resident on here!!