Domestic Partnerships for All

Face the Nation is talking about marriage equality this morning.  The statistics they shared is that the United States is split almost equally down the middle (with a little higher number on the support for gay marriage side).  And the statistics are in even higher support for same sex marriage when only people under 30 are polled.  This issue is highly divisive, as many people are confusing the legalities of "marriage" with religion.

This is my proposal, and I wonder if it will make all sides happy:  The states no longer issue marriage license to anyone; not even to a couple consisting of one man and one woman. The states will only issue a license for domestic partnerships.  The couple (traditional, or same sex) goes to the courthouse and request a domestic partnership license to be afforded the benefits the states offers. That is the extent of the states involvement.  The government is only involved on the business side of the union. 

If a couple wishes a wedding, and a marriage to celebrate their union with their God or without a God... they do that in their churches; defining marriage how they deem appropriate. So, if a couple wishes to define marriage as birthing children, raising those children, and fostering the union between the couple under the laws of Christianity; that's their choice, and is the business of that family, their church and their God.  However, if a man and a woman wish to join together, sharing their life together without having any children and they go to the Buddhist temple every Saturday; they will still be afforded the benefits the state offers to couples in domestic partnerships. --And of course, ditto for same sex couples.

This proposal separates the business side of marriage and the religious definition of marriage.  And then perhaps same sex couples will not be cast as the deviants in a society, and if they choose so, they can legally adopt children, and love those children that no one else wanted to love... and life will go on!  Everyone is treated equally under the eyes of the law; and everyone can define marriage the way they see fit within their religious establishments.  What do you think?