On a pragmatic level at this point in time, I think the endless quest and pursuit for gay marriage rights, granting the numerous legal advantages and benefits that heterosexual marriages have, is an exercise in futility. Granted, gay marriage is a worthy goal but it doesn't take a mathematician to tally the huge numbers of homophobes and fundamentalist Christians that oppose all rights, not only marriage rights, for the GLBT community.
In the business arena, the gay rights movement is making progress. However, in the political area things are still rather bleak.
In California, a new anti-gay foe has entered the picture-- born-again Russian immigrants Over 100,000 Russian immigrants are currenly living in the Sacramento metro area and they have changed the equation quite dramatically for the gay community in Sacramento. Hundreds of born-again Russians picket gay rights parades/events and they're extremely vocal. Several years ago, a gay man was murdered in a park by a group of Russians.
The Portland and Seattle areas have seen a new tide of homophobia. I think one born-again Russian immigrant newspaper is now based in Seattle.
What happens in California is sometimes indicative of what happens on a national level. Certainly more Russian immigration, and immigration from former Soviet Republics such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia, doesn't bode well for the gay community.
I think same-sex marriage is eventually in the cards, but not in the near future. Changes in the birth/death statistics will change the demographics of the country, and younger generations tend to be more supportive of gay rights.
As far as I know civil unions grant only a limited number of legal rights. Marriage should be our targeted goal, because it grants a long, long list of rights and benefits that's much more comprehensive than a civil union.
On a pragmatic level at this point in time, I think the endless quest and pursuit for gay marriage rights, granting the numerous legal advantages and benefits that heterosexual marriages have, is an exercise in futility. Granted, gay marriage is a worthy goal but it doesn't take a mathematician to tally the huge numbers of homophobes and fundamentalist Christians that oppose all rights, not only marriage rights, for the GLBT community.
In the business arena, the gay rights movement is making progress. However, in the political area things are still rather bleak.
In California, a new anti-gay foe has entered the picture-- born-again Russian immigrants Over 100,000 Russian immigrants are currenly living in the Sacramento metro area and they have changed the equation quite dramatically for the gay community in Sacramento. Hundreds of born-again Russians picket gay rights parades/events and they're extremely vocal. Several years ago, a gay man was murdered in a park by a group of Russians.
The Portland and Seattle areas have seen a new tide of homophobia. I think one born-again Russian immigrant newspaper is now based in Seattle.
What happens in California is sometimes indicative of what happens on a national level. Certainly more Russian immigration, and immigration from former Soviet Republics such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Latvia, doesn't bode well for the gay community.
I think same-sex marriage is eventually in the cards, but not in the near future. Changes in the birth/death statistics will change the demographics of the country, and younger generations tend to be more supportive of gay rights.
As far as I know civil unions grant only a limited number of legal rights. Marriage should be our targeted goal, because it grants a long, long list of rights and benefits that's much more comprehensive than a civil union.