It amazed me when one NY Democratic senator said New Yorkers didn't care about gay marriage because of its bad economy. WTF??
Wouldn't having a slew of same-sex marriages in NY state BOOST the economy? Imagine all the hotels, catering, florists, salons, B&Bs, printers, DJs, wedding bands and gift stores that would have gotten a much-needed financial shot in the arm. We're not stupid, Senator. It wasn't about economics, at all.
It's about fear of change.
We don't want the religious part of marriage (with 50% of marriages ending in divorce those church bells don't seem to guarantee success for a couple anyway), but the legal FEDERAL rights that come with it are crucial. My partner is not from the USA. We've been together 7 years here in Astoria. If we were, say, to get married tomorrow in CT, it wouldn't mean ANYTHING regarding her potential citizenship. Zilch. We asked an attorney. He said "your union means nothing on the federal level." When I added my partner to my health benefits, the Human Resources woman said "Don't forget -- they'll tax you big time on this as an INCOME. Are you sure you want to add her to your benefits?"
It's so unfair and must change. Let's not get so hung up on the "marriage" word and start fighting on a federal level. The states won't do much for us anyway.
Keep up the good fight.