Max asks:
> A question is whether the right approach is
to promote secular partnership rights first,
and soft-peddle marriage, or make marriage
the kind of moral issue that civil rights was.
In some states, marriage is the way to go. In others, civil unions might be the better option. In yet others, nothing has any hope of passage.
In New York, Attorney General Spitzer wants to be governor. Consequently he has issued a ruling that the New York State Constitution does not prohibit same-sex marriage. With the State Senate in the hands of Republicans, suing in state court seems the most likely route of success. Civil unions will not happen.
The important thing is to get as many states as possible to approve either same-sex marriage or civil unions, whichever has the best chance in each particular state.
But like a space launch, these opportunities do not have a long window of possibility. We have to take advantage of Spitzer's desire to be governor now, not tomorrow.
As Kelley noted in one of her posts, we must start building an alternative network. A few decades ago, queers had a very effective network in this country. But just as integration destroyed the Negro Leagues, integration has also hurt queers. We now know that we were never truly accepted.
Brian Dauth Queer Buddhist Resister