Stop wasting time with gay marriage

I am a political junkie. I read political stuff on the internet all the time. There are lot's of political blogs out there and I am not going to try to make this one of them but I have a bee in my bonnet about this today.

I am gay (I may have mentioned that before) and I strongly the right of people to marry the person of their choosing (assuming they are of legal age).

I also think all this push for gay marriage is doing more harm than good and we should cut it out and focus on civil unions at the state and federal level. Yes I know that would cast us as second class citizens, but just for a little while. I know there are many who will not accept second class status, but it may be necessary. Here's why:

• It is totally absurd for civil right issues to be put to a vote by the majority. It is the function of the courts to protect the minority from laws that discriminate against any minority. Unfortunately, however, the court have not seen fit to perform their function. Now in 31 out of 50 stated we have lost because we have been insisting on marriage. People do not seem to have the stomach for that and it's hurting us.
• In Washington State a very good civil union law did pass a popular vote. Gay people in Washington can have a comprehensive civil union will all the state benefits of "marriage" without giving heartburn to straight people. Gay people in Maine and California got nothing. Is it unfair? Yes, but it's what we have right now.
• In every poll, people are much more likely to support civil unions for gay people than they are to support marriage. Why not let "marriage" be a religious term and let "civil union" be what happens at city hall. If we can get people support civil unions, it's a whole lot better than what we have today. Nothing, in most states. Something is better than nothing, even if it's not exactly what you want. Once the idea of civil unions is established, then we can (if we need to) go for changing the word to marriage.

Personally I think "Marriage" should be a strictly religious ceremony, with no power in the outside world. The couple (gay or straight) would then be required to across the street to city hall to obtain a civil union from a city clerk or some other official. Religious "marriages" would be treated but the government like a baptism or a bar mitzvah. Only civil unions would be recognized by the state.

Since the courts will not do their job, we need to work for civil unions.

Stepping off soapbox.