Touché! Jim.
Which makes a homosexual some sort of second rate citizen based on their engaging in a legal activity and lifestyle.
There are man privileges and immunities automatically available to married couples that are not accessible to unmarried couples, via any legal document other than a marriage license.
Among them are:
Unmarried couples are not protected against having to testify against each other in judicial proceedings.
Unmarried couples denied are access to shared or spousal benefits through Social Security as well as coverage under Medicare and other programs.
Unmarried couples are denied withdrawal rights and protective tax treatment given to spouses with regard to IRA's and other retirement plans.
Unmarried couples cannot file joint tax returns and are excluded from tax benefits and claims specific to marriage.
If a couple is not married and one partner dies, the other partner is not entitled to bereavement leave from work, to file wrongful death claims, or to draw the Social Security of the deceased partner.
I don't get the animus.
People outside my marriage getting married or divorced or opting to live together without the benefit of marriage have zero impact on my marriage and family life. It "neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg" that homosexuals get married.
Why the animus toward a group of people who actually want to be married during a period of time in our culture when those who CAN marry are opting not to do so in ever increasing numbers and when almost 45% of all children are born out of wedlock?
If we are really all that concerned about preserving and "saving" traditional marriage, why aren't we addressing the issues with traditional marriage?
"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" - Mathew 7:3