Heard the following on National Public Radio's All Things Considered on June 17th, 2008, as part of the article Octogenarian Gay-Rights Pioneers Wed in California
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officiated one of the first same-sex weddings Monday night. Two elderly lesbians — icons of the gay-rights movement — held a private ceremony at City Hall.
Phyllis Lyon, 83, and Del Martin, 87, became a couple more than half a century ago and went on to start the first national group for lesbians. After marrying in a small ceremony in Newsom's office, the elderly women emerged to an adoring crowd.
Second thing thing that came to mind, (after '50 years!') was: Well, wasn't that little legal problem a missed opportunity on a 15 to 30 year paid mortgage for a committed and stable couple?
Take the rose by any name, "Marriage" as performed by a priest, "Civil Union" by a Justice of the Peace, whatever; give homosexual couples the same tax cut a heterosexual couple would get to buy a house. (What red blooded Republican could argue with a tax cut?) I bet you, not only would a significant number of stable homosexual couples take advantage of the tax cut and buy homes, a significant number of gay marriage opponents would reconsider their position when shown that neighboring a stable homosexual couple can bolster their sagging equity.