Marriage is between a man and a woman says the fundies.

We'll get behind civil unions for gays says the politicians.

Separate but equal doesn't work says the homosexuals.

So here's what we do to shut the fundies up. We make marriage strictly a religious matter. If your church wants to marry you, that's between you and them if you're a straight couple, a gay couple or a man and a plate of pasta.

The only term the state will use is civil union no matter the genitalia. All government documents for adults united in home, dept, and inheritance won't say the word marriage. It won't mean anything by law. It works, it makes every one put their money where there mouth is.

And in my case, for instance, since I'm married to an athiest and there was no religious aspect to us getting hitched I'm comfortable never using the word 'married' to define us ever again.