> what is second class about civil unions?
Everything or nothing, depending on how you define "civil union."
If all you want is a designation that says, "hey, we're in a committed relationship together," then there's nothing second class about it. It could be argued that if such unions only pertain to gay people, it is exclusionary or a "special interest".
If you want the legal protections and legal recognitions that married couples receive in terms of survivorship and right to make medical decisions, etc., then you might want to examine the language of how most proposed "civil union" bills are written. Those protections are not stated or promised.
And if you want full equal rights and benefits such as IRS recognition equal to that of married couples (tho' in some situations that may be self-defeating), or recognition in survivorship for social security benefits, then civil unions are wasted paper and worthless pablum created to satisfy a false sense of equal under the disguise of an eviscerated "separate but equal" banner.
Just depends on what you want "civil unions" to do.
- Deborah
===== " How come people always flip and think they're Jesus? Why not Buddha? Particularly in America, where more people resemble Buddha than Jesus. 'Ah'm BUDDHA!' 'You're Bubba!' 'Ah'm Buddha now..All I gotta do is change 3 letters on ma belt...' " - Bill Hicks