quote:

ORIGINAL: Marc2b

...

That said…

What we need is a Constitutional amendment that defines marriage – from a legal perspective – as a union of two or more consenting adults, the creation a familial bond that did not exist before. Partners in a marriage would have all the familial rights society already grants to blood relations (E.G. hospital visitation rights, insurance coverage, etc). Partners in a marriage would...

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheOneThatIAm

That said…

What we need is a Constitutional amendment that defines marriage – from a legal perspective – as a union of two or more consenting adults, the creation a familial bond that did not exist before. Partners in a marriage would have all the familial rights society already grants to blood relations (E.G. hospital visitation rights, insurance coverage, etc). Partners in a marriage would...

quote:

Don't twist the rules, change the game!

quote:

Respectfully, I disagree. There is already a legal recourse in American Law to creating a 'body', defining how its members come together, what rights they have to or with each other, how they leave with which benefits or dividends, etc. We need not involve Congress or local lawmakers. We just need to 'get over' our need to call it a marriage or a union, and form corporations with distinctive by-laws! Done with enough research and with enough precedence-quoting, those who would dissolve such corporations against the will(s) of those involved in them would find quite an interesting fight on their hands. By dropping marriage and civil union entirely, we stop attacking the religions that have America in a stranglehold, and they can go back to ignoring us. Maybe they will, and maybe they won't, but they won't have the manipulative ammunition of 'They're redefining marriage!' to back their plays anymore (if we can create & refine the corporation format, spread the word, and get on with dropping our focus on marriage/ civil union). The thing is, no-one needs any church's or any religion's permission to form a corporation, and rarely are any licenses involved. Heck, visit Nevada and you can form a corporation for almost free, and never have to pay any corporate taxes either! There are hospitals that say they will extend certain rights (visitation, etc) only to 'family members'. The solution to that is to name the corporation "The Family _____" (hopefully something unique), with bylaws that confirm hospital visitation rights for each member. There are solutions, there are ways to experience these things in our lifetimes, if we stop trying to play the game of life by the rules of the enemies. Don't twist the rules, change the game!

quote:

That isn't going to happen. Laws are made by people willing to vote with their wallets. You'd need some very big fish backing that proposal.

quote:

ORIGINAL: stellauk

I've been following this thread with great interest.. not so much because I'm poly but because I'm actively involved in campaigning for marriage equality, but I'm finding that it's mainly about same sex and different sex partnerships and there's not much about other types of relationships.

The question I'd like to throw out is, if marriage is too big a step, would a civil partnership between more than two people be a viable compromise?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marc2b

Actually it was me, not TheOneTahtIAm, who put forth that notion (post 39 on page two) and as I noted... I am under no delusions that it would ever come to pass. I do stand by it, however, as a sensible solution (which is probably the main reason it won't come to pass) which keeps the government neutral and allows people to maintain their their own religious notions of marriage if thety so choose.