Marriage is for child-bearing couples only?

I think it's a combination of two different points, Alice. I've heard lots of people say marriage should only be for men and women, without any real reasoning behind that. The implied understanding is that the underlying sexual relationship is more healthy.

I have also heard, regarding the sexual behavior of fags, that homosexuality is wicked because it defies the natural purpose of sex, which is to procreate. Basically, sex is righteous for breeders because kids tend to pop out.

The entire argument then is that the state should not sanction unhealthy and wicked sexual practices, to be determined by the ability to reproduce.

Of course, I doubt most people really understand their own objections anymore. It's become so mainstream that I'm sure they just remember agreeing with whatever arguments they heard, and can now rest easy on stupid phrases like "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Which, naturally, is beyond frustrating, because you can't even argue at that level.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Acro-nym, right now I think most inheritance laws pass the estate over to blood relatives. I think also, the estate is subject to probate, which appears to be a drawn out process by which the state values your assets, takes a cut, and then passes it out to your relatives. There are some fun stories out there where the significant other was booted out of the house by the decedent's family upon his death. Marriage basically allows your partner the right to inheritance, I think it may also give protection against probate, although I'm not sure about that. To get that same protection, gay couples need to fill out explicit wills or set up beneficiary trusts.

In the case of a health-care emergency, marriage confers the power of the attorny upon to partner to make any decisions on behalf of the afflicted. This includes visitation rights as well. You need a separate document detailing the same if you're not married.

Similarly, there is a financial power of attorney as well. I think marriage also confers this automatically to the partner. This allows the partner to manage the finances, pay mortgages and other bills while the afflicted is incapacitated.

This just covers the absolute essentials, but then you consider that actual marriage really connects two people a whole hell of a lot stronger in the eyes of the law.

http://gaylife.about.com/od/samesexm...a/benefits.htm.

There's nowhere I can't reach.