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Froma, Your commentary leaves out many important points. First, the federal government has not repealed the unconstitutional so called "Defense of Marriage Act," denying federal marriage recognition (including the ability to file joint federal income tax returns and share social security benefits) to born gay/lesbian taxpayers whose states have same sex marriage equality. In other words, born gaylesbian taxpayers in CT, MA, IA, and VT who were legally civilly married in their states are seen as single by our federal government. You can't have it both ways, Froma. You want the states to decide, but they can't since the federal government does not accept same sex civil marriage equality for born gay/lesbian taxpayers/citizens/voters and their familes? Second, civil marriage began as a white male land owner owning various wives as his property. It changed into one male and one female of the same race. When the Supreme Court overturned various states' laws prohibiting civil interracial marriage, polls showed Americans were against it 70% to 30%. The court did this because the US Constitution guarantees equal civil rights for all. Whether you accept it or not, that includes ALL, regardless of one's inborn sexual orientation. Marriage equality for born gay/lesbians in the US is polling at 50/50 now in the US. Regardless, the majority should never have the right to vote for the civil rights of the majortiy. We are all guaranteed equal civil rights by our US Constitution. Third, in other countries that have same sex civil marriage equality (the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, Canada), civil marriage has flourished. When one group is being discriminated against, all suffer. When everyone has the equal civil right of marriage, everyone's family flourishes. Children are protected. All families thrive. Finally, how would you like it, Froma, if you were told that you could not marry the person you loved? How would you explain to your children that their parents are married in one state but not in another, or not in the eyes of the federal government to which you pay taxes? How would like it if you couldn't visit your husband in a hospital, make decisions about his well being, inherit his possessions, stay in your home after he passes away, make medical decisions for your children, and be placed on your husband's family medical plan at work. Only civil marriage ensures these things in the US. This has nothing to do with religions and who they marry or don't marry. It has to do with the fact that all taxpayers/citizens in the US deserve equal rights now. Since you have a public forum on this topic throughout the country, shame on you for supporting hate, homophobia and misinformation rather than the facts. I'm sure you are responding now that you don't hate anyone. Froma, anything less than equal civil rights for all taxpayers/citizens is hate. If you were denied your equal civil rights for you and your family, you would understand. Please stop the hate and do the right thing by advocating equal civil rights for born gay/lesbian taxpayers/citizens/voters and our families.

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Ma'am;... If gay people can have the relationship unmolested, they already have the best part of the form of marriage... But in getting formal recognition and formal protection they only drive a larger part of the population out of the form, which brings nearer the day when the form of government will not function against the resistence of the people... The gays already should have civil rights...But the way democracy is concieved of by most people, it is majority rule, and this has always allowed a mere majority to deny rights to minorities.... If it were consensus democracy, in the only fashion democracy has been enduring, then all rights would be protected, and there would have to be some injury or damage done before any right could be denied....All I can say is you go gays...It is just one more thing to the religious right, and one more excuse to forget about the national government... And to be honest, not one of these states could stand alone, but we are not so far from a new confederacy, and as the government has begun to notice, they are the ones who are trained in the military arts, and they are the ones most able to express their hate and fear in acts of violence... So when we look at the resistence on the right to Mr. Obama trying to knit up the economy, and to make our quasi democracy work for people, think of those who will take their cue from the foxes and the Limbaughs, and not co-operate at all, and will do all within their power to see the old form fall...I am rooting for them, even while I see they have the most now, and the most to lose...There is a lot of hatred on both sides for the government, but only the right is crazy enough to strike the first blow, and if they do so, I think the government will find it has no moral support, because it is morally insupportable.... Government has failed us, and mostly, it has failed...It has not failed the right more than the left... It has only served a few, and tried to satisfy the bare minimum...But only the angry right which has been pushed into a deeper poverty for which they have always held in contempt the blacks and hispanics will not go easily into that night... I expect them to fight, and if the chips are down, I expect the military will go with them....And at that point, marriage rights for gays will be the least of any ones worries...Thanks...Sweeney