Gay Marriage Lite

Here is an article on gay marriage I had published today in The Spectrum. [Thank you, Spectrum, for generously allowing elected officials to communicate with constituents through your paper]. Though Constitutional Amendment 3 passed this November, specifying that gay marriage and analogous types of relationships will not receive state sanction, there is a push -- as a compromise -- to provide "reciprocal benefits" to same-sex couples. I oppose this for 2 reasons. First, the majority just stated it does not want to grant legal sanction to same-sex relationships. Second, I don't see currently unprotected fundamental rights at issue that would warrant overriding the will of the majority. As I detail in the article, the rights being discussed are already available through various legal means, such as contracts, wills, and powers-of-attorney. This will be an interesting debate for years to come. My hope is that the Courts don't disenfranchise the people by removing the issue from public discourse and legislative process, through judicial fiat. Give us time, and the people will figure out where we should be.