Spiff - I know you will never agree with me on this, and I understand why. You have your desire for your ability to be married in the eyes of the government.
This new set of laws (whether by judicial ruling or elected representatives) will allow you to leave an inheritance to your same sex spouse tax free. You will also get to receive your spouse's Social Security benefits should he pass on, along with other benefits.
Your agenda is to have the government "fix" a problem of inequity as you see it. This inequity was caused by government in the first place.
My agenda is to see the government get out of EVERYONE's life.
For example - this new set of laws does not protect the right of someone who wants to stay single. That person gets no tax breaks, no ability to pass on to someone he or she chooses an estate tax free, and cannot say "I want my friend Joe to get my Social Security and my estate with no tax liability" and have it done. Of course, if he marries Joe, then he CAN pass on these benefits.
Our governments - state, federal, and local have co-opted marriage in order to be able to control a little more of our behavior. This "gay marriage" will add to that, rather than create more freedom for everyone.
Each time the government passes a law like this, a particular group feels good, because those in that group gain.
When you think this through, Married people (which has always been defined as being between a man and a woman) have long gotten benefits denied to single people. Instead of fixing this true inequity with real reform, we have expanded the term "married" to include man and woman, man and man, or woman and woman. Now ANYONE in those groups gets preferential treatment over single people.
That is not justice - that is making another voting bloc happy with a "victory" at the expense of others.
