re: Should govt. be completely out of the marriage/family business?

quote:

---

Do straight people get married purely for the tax/legal benefits?

---

Believe it or not, many many do.

The issue is equal treatment under the law vs the definition of a word that refers to a religious sacrament. If the Civil Rights Act had never been passed, gay marriage wouldn't even be an issue because private clubs, businesses, and property owners wouldn't have to fear the government forcing them to provide services for gay weddings.

The real solution is to just take the decision out of the government's hands and give it to the individual couples themselves as to whether or not they themselves should be allowed to be "married". Those people can call it whatever they want. The religious can call it whatever they want. However, if the government calls it what it will, that is perceived to be more authoritative and concrete. Under no rational, constitutional basis, should the federal government have any say as to whether or not two consenting adults can marry, for OR against. Therefore, government should not decide and take no part.

Freedom means the freedom for other people to do things you don't agree with, the freedom for you to disagree with them, and the freedom to go ahead and do things they disagree with as well. Freedom is a double-edged sword with no hilt.