X-Post: Polling, Gay Marriage, and Civil Unions

American Nihilist X-Post
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n this post, Professor Donald Douglas once again brings up the "NEWSWEEK Poll" from December of last year, and trots out the fact that according to that poll, "only 31 percent favor full same-sex marriage rights."

Here is the question they asked:

Thinking again about legal rights for gay and lesbian couples, which of the following comes CLOSEST to your position on this issue? Do you support FULL marriage rights for same-sex couples, OR support civil unions or partnerships for same-sex couples, BUT NOT full marriage rights, OR do you oppose ANY legal recognition for same-sex couples?

Since Donald first posted this poll last December, I have repeatedly asked him (or anyone else who claims to "support civil unions or partnerships for same sex couples, BUT NOT full marriage rights") to explain the legal difference between civil unions and full marriage rights for same sex couples. (here, and here, and here, as well) No one--not even Donald--has done so.

As I've said repeatedly, I believe "marriage" is a religious rite that should be wholly governed by one's church and one's faith. The only reason I support "gay marriage" is because our government repeatedly uses this religious term to bestow civil, secular rights and privileges to couples via local, state, and federal law. As long as civil laws use the term "marriage," I will continue to argue that these civil marriage laws ought to apply equally to straight and to gay couples. If on the other hand, we the people decide that marriage should be recognized as a religious rite, and decide to use some other term in our laws governing the legal union of two souls, I'm all for that. In my opinion, the real threat to traditional marriage was allowing it to be defined by man's law, rather than by God.

If anyone--particularly anyone who supports civil unions but not marriage rights--wishes to explain where they see the difference between the two, I'm most curious...