The cases present constitutional issues that judges haven't thought about a great deal yet. It's not just the narrow issue of marriage but how you think about laws that discriminate against gay people under the equal protection clause, how you think about what a fundamental right is. |
This episode goes into the homes of real families to show that gay and lesbian couples make the same kinds of commitments that straight couples make. These stories show the stark difference in how our government treats same-sex couples, who, without the protections that married couples enjoy, are often left in the cold at times when they are at their most vulnerable. |
Wherever Washington goes, that's going to be tipping the balance a little bit. If it goes to marriage, that's the direction people will be going in. If it goes to civil unions, that may be showing society is being more cautious. |