Issue Position: Same Sex Marriage

Issue Position

I have some good friends who are gay and wish to be married. We have discussed the challenges and I can say I have convinced not only some of the gay community to accept my answer to this problem but also some republicans. In fact, I think this is a great republican issue because it gets to the heart of personal freedom.

I looked into the word and meaning of marriage and there is little to suggest that anyone owns the process or who can or cannot be involved. Currently we fall under the Judeo-Christian meaning of marriage which says marriage is reserved for one man and one woman. Most of the Christians I speak with have no problem with "Civil Unions" that mimic marriage in every way except for using the word marriage itself. Gay people want to be able to "Marry" the same way a straight people do with no differentiation that could make it "Less" of a union in any way. I think that it is an OK idea to come up with a new word for the meaning of gay marriage that defines marriage the EXACT same way. My only comment is be careful what you wish for. Marriage has consequences and can lead to divorce.

There is an alternative that makes a lot of sense to me but takes some serious thought before passing judgment. What about eliminating marriage in the eye of the state all together? Everyone can enter into a "Civil Union" and keep their "Marriage" private. That private marriage can be affiliated with your religious beliefs or not. It's up to you to decide the definition of your marriage. It's the ultimate form of choice and is fair to anyone regardless of their sexual preference. Just stew for a while on that issue and see where it takes you. To me it's a win, win to take marriage private.

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