"http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/marriage.html"


I understand where you're coming from Lee but, by definition, marriage is a legal contract.

The American institution of marriage is a English common law tradition, so it's not just an American issue.

Marriage is a legal contract that all societies recognize and enforce.

A good short synapses of marriage etc. is located here

Since before Christ marriage has been a legally binding agreement between two people. I think that your notion of changing the whole legal system to obtain rights for Gay couples is flawed as the very premise of marriage/civil unions, and the dictionary definition is; The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife.

"The whole thing could have been approached a lot more subtley than it has been. THAT is my issue."

There really is not subtle way to say "Gay people should be allowed to marry." it's pretty straight forward.