Rhode Island House panel approves civil union legislation
Image via Wikipedia A political compromise on marriage legislation has made temporary political bedfellows of two intractable foes in Rhode Island : pro-family advocates and gay activists. Both the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) have come out in opposition to a civil unions bill that will give homosexual couples all the rights and benefits of marriage, except the name – albeit for very different reasons. The House Judiciary Committee voted has 9-3 to approve the civil unions legislation for a full vote on the House floor. The vote should take place Thursday. Rep. Edith Ajello (D-Providence) described the bill as “better than nothing,” according to the Boston Globe . However, MERI refuses to support the bill, arguing that civil unions legislation would mean second class status for homosexual couples. NOM’s Rhode Island chapter has also denounced the measure, but because it paves the way for the courts to redefine marriage aw