Argument 8: Civil unions or domestic partnerships do the same thing

Okay, straight people. Imagine telling your loved one you want to "DP" them instead of marry them. How do you think that would go over?

The fact is, separate is not equal. No one knows what a DP or civil union is. Despite the apparent protections of the CA DP laws, those are basically meaningless. One of the writers of the DP law tells the story of being in rural northern CA with his partner at a hospital, and being denied the right to be with his partner. "But we're domestic partners", said the healthy one. "Oh, we don't do that here," said the hospital. Illegal, sure, but it is little comfort that you can sue them after the fact if you need to be with your loved one NOW.

Everyone knows what a marriage is.

The CA constitution guarantees us ALL equal treatment under the law. The CA Supreme Court agrees. Basically everyone gets civil unions, or everyone gets marriage. In fact, in parts of Europe and Asia, there are explicitly two marriages: civil marriage at the government office, and a separate religious marriage, if you choose, in your church. Ministers are not agents of the state. In the US, we have a confusing conflation of combining state-sanctioned and religiously-sanctioned marriage. (Many religious are not comfortable with acting as an agent of the state, even now).

Prop8 says nothing about religious marriage: only about civil marriage.