While we were in the shower this morning, my spouse of 23 years and I were discussing the positions of the Democratic candidates on the issue of gay marriage.
Neither of us are lawyers, but we were struck by how many on the right and left are confused about the legal status of marriage. Perhaps some of you who know the law can fill everyone in on the details.
In the United States, the individual states have the authority to grant marriages. Those who marry in a church or other setting are allowed the privilege of having that church act on behalf of the state. Therefore our ceremony, in this case in a Catholic church, was merely an instrument for binding us together according to the laws of California.
We therefore consider that we have a civil union (i.e., a contract between us) - and I am most happy that we are automatically granted the various benefits that go with it. So I'm constantly puzzled by why (for example) Senator Clinton prefers civil unions over marriage for gay people. For us, there is no difference - we had a marriage ceremony to represent a civil union.
And our hearts bleed when we consider how our gay friends and family members still have to fight for the things we take for granted.