I've watched this subject being "debated" on various BB's for a little while now. Of all the posts pro and con, I think this one sums up my position better than any other.

I hope Crabbait from the ifish board doesn't mind me posting it here.

Originally posted by Crabbait:

Some things don't deserve a vote because having the majority does not make them right. If a majority decided that it is alright to own people would that make it right?

Call it a civil union if it makes you feel better. People deserve the right to visit their partners in the hospital (as "family"). They deserve the order of law when dividing jointly purchased belongings. They deserve to inherit property in the event of a partner's death (like any other spouse).

One of the best things about America is that it protects its citizens from the religion of some of its citizens. It is called "freedom". We have the right to practice any religion. We do not have the right to force the rule of that religion into the rule of law. Otherwise we would have a "Mulah" or an "Ayotollah" instead of a President.

Allowing two unrelated people to join in a lawful union does not open the door to the union of people and animals, or of related people, or of people and other minor people, or of people an inanimate objects. Feverish, high pitched, oft repeated orations do not change this fact.

Regardless of strongly held belief, there is no such thing as "choice of sexual preference". We are attracted to who we are attracted to and no amount of "choice" is going to change that. Men who are attracted to men and women who are attracted to women are as repulsed by the thought of being with a member of the opposite sex as hetrosexuals are of being with someone of the same sex. We did not get to choose, and our children will not get to choose, so be ready for that. Hatred and intolerance simply demonstrate our ignorance of biological fact that can be proved in any highschool biology class.

As for children being "exposed" to this, the sooner the better. It is very healthy for them to know that not all people are the same and that who they partner with is only a small part of who they are as people. The sooner that they know that people can believe differently, live differently, look differently and still be perfectly good people the fewer wars we may have to fight for no good reason in the future.

They are here. They are different. They deserve to be here and deserve the same protection under the law. If this illicits a strong emotional reaction I suggest that you think about it more and feel about it less.