Then that's a problem that needs to be addressed. Come up with a new
family term to describe their relationship (I kinda like "shariage"),
give them the rights of family members, and move on.

That would have to be done hospital by hospital, and would require board
meetings, bylaws changes, and this very kind of acrimonious discussion
would occur in a hundred little fiefdoms. It would be stalled in
committee, half the hospitals won't do it, and meanwhile, many people's
loved ones would die alone. And that is just for this one issue. There
are many like that, including real estate purchase and rental, travel
arrangements, represntation, everything for which family members are
already treated differently.

But labels confer rights, or remove them. Thus, labels are important.
Unfortunately, the label they're trying to usurp has already been
taken. Come up with a new one, and move on.

It is the =fact= that is has "already been taken" that confers the
rights. The label is =already= used in contracts and law all over the
country. By allowing the use of this label, ssunions will be
=automatically= recognized as a family unit. This is not possible when
inventing a new label.

That's the whole point.

Now, I ask you... what are you so afraid of? What calamity would befall
you, or civilization, if we expanded the label "marriage" to include
ssunions? Would you and Mary get divorced? Would your children all of
a sudden "turn gay"? Would people start hugging each other instead of
rightously killing each other?

Jose
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
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