What is so important about the word Marriage? [View All]

I’ve been thinking about this for years now. As a 50 yr .bi-racial, radical-lesbian-feminist I’ve marched for civil rights, the ERA, sat in, acted up, and war protested. Intellectually, I get that separate but equal is not equal. I’ve lived it.
In real world terms though, even today we all know that our schools still aren’t equal. We know that people of color do not get the same treatment as caucasians in this or any other country. We know that women still don’t get the same pay as men. When a women wants to have it all she must do it all. If a man wants to have it all he gets married and gets a good job. Women still have guilt about working v. child care.
Well we didn’t pass the ERA but today a woman is leading the polls for the nomination of the Democratic Party for President. Many people of color are making great strides, giving a hand up to their brethren, and continuing to demand their rightful place the table.
A bi-racial man is running for President, not as a black man but as an American.
Yes we have “come a long way baby”.
We have dragged our country, sometimes kicking and screaming, to a place where when our government threatens the civil rights of its citizens ALL Americans feel threatened. In the last 10 years it’s obvious to me that views have changed about the GLBT community. We have fought our way up to the point where we are not and can not be ignored. Our community and its advocates have come to the conclusion that civil unions are not enough. We must have marriage or we have lost. I’m not so sure anymore.
What is it that I really want?
I want my country to recognize my rights as a citizen. I want my country to value and recognize my family equal to any other family. I want my country to support my declaration of commitment in the same way it supports the commitment of heterosexuals. I want my partner to be able to add me to her insurance and I want to add her to the deed to our home. I want to know that if my partner goes into the hospital her asshole brother can’t stop me from seeing her and if she dies I won’t have to fight the prick over the ring on her finger. I want to know that when I die she gets our house. I know there are ways to do this with lawyers and yes we've got wills. We don't want to go to a lawyer; we want to go the justice of the peace!
Does it really matter what we call it? Not anymore. Call it civil union, domestic partners, a corporation. I don’t care if they call it Macaroni. I care about the RIGHTS. WE WANT OUR RIGHTS!
It’s all well and good that there are now states and countries that recognize same sex marriage or civil unions but we don’t live there. We have talked about going to Canada, Vermont or Massachusetts. But that is the ultimate in separate but unequal. Those that have been married there are prisoners of that state or country if they wish to continue to have their marriages recognized in America.
I think we may have made a mistake by insisting on the word “marriage”. The majority of citizens agree with civil unions including most of the Democratic candidates. Let’s take it. Let’s make sure the next President agrees to sign an Executive Order to federally recognize Foreign and Domestic Same Sex Marriage and include Civil Unions in any and all federal benefits connected to marriage.
My partner and I would jump at the chance for a Civil Union recognized by our government.
What say you?