Reply #9: Civil rights shoud not be up for a vote to begin with. [View All]

There are some states who still would not allow mixed-race marriages if it were left up to popular vote. We're talking about protecting people from the "tyranny of the majority" for one thing. These people are trying to make laws against something because it make them feel personally uncomfortable. That's not what America stands for.

2) the cost of adding domestic partner benefits is minimal because the vast majority of people in LGBT relationships already have jobs with benefits. For many people, it will be cheaper to keep single policies, etc. especially since they will not be eligible for any of the federal benefits allowed married straight people.

9 out of 10 of Big Ten university systems offer domestic partner benefits and they say that less than 1% of eligible people even apply for them. In most cases, it's less than .5% For most employers, the cost of recruiting and retraining new employees is a lot more than the cost of offering domestic partner benefits. 226 of the Fortune 500 companies offer them as do 7500+ employers nationwide--obviously these companies feel that these benefits help recruit and retain the very best employees and help their companies stay profitable or they wouldn't offer them.

3) the emotional benefits are often more important to people than the financial ones and cost very little. Being able to take bereavment leave, for example, or family leave to care for sick spouses can be extremely valuable to a LGBT employee yet cost little.

4) People who are against marriage equality often say that they care about children and then on the other hand, punish some kids for having the "wrong parents" by denying their families marriage and its many benefits.

The children of LGBT parents do not have automatic and undisputed access to the resources, benefits and entitlements of both parents. They aren't automatically eligible for health coverage through one partner's plan and eligible for SS or pension beneifts if one partner dies. These families also have to incur extra expenses to ensure that both parents have the right ot make medical decisions for their children. BTW, the 2000 Census shows that about 319,000 of the same-sex couple households include children, and that about 419,000 children are being raised in those households.

5) Not allowing LGBT people to choose marriage undermines LGBT kids' sense of inclusion in their communities and damages their dreams. How many more gay children have to grow up thinking that they are second-class citizens and that their communities don't value the life-long commitments they may choose to make with another person?