Reply #12: It's not that clear-cut [View All]

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

Marriage is a sacrament of the church and isn't something that any government has any right to regulate. I fully and completely support same-sex marriage, but I don't for one minute want the government picking and choosing which church sacraments it will acknowledge. If one demonination wants to recognize gay marriages and another denomination doesn't, more power to both of them. But the government should keep out of it.

All that is not to say that the government doesn't have a legitimate interest in promoting long-term, stable relstionships. Every scrap of statistical data we have clearly shows that these relationships build stronger families, stronger neighborhoods, and a stronger society. So if the government is going to jigger the tax code to promote this behavior (this is called social engineering, kids) then the playing field needs to be level. Straight marriages? Yes. Gay marriages? You bet. Common Law marriages? You too.

The ONLY unions the government should be recognizing are civil unions. You want to get married in a church? Fine. But you don't get your tax breaks until you go down to the courthouse and register. That includes Adam and Eve, Adam and Steve, and Goldie and Kurt.