Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Opinion

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Those of you who showed up to protest or support Proposition 8 this past week did participate in the system, but it remains unclear what impact your presence had.

The rallies of this past week were mere political fads. They have been family-oriented experiences that serve only the purpose of gathering attention. Entirely too many people this past week have been parading around with "vote yes" or "vote no" posters. Do these people realize how foolish they look toting a sign about something that has already been voted on? Both sides are caricatures of themselves.

Every tired stereotype you've heard from each spectrum of the argument was present at the rally: the kooky evangelical; the promiscuous, homosexual teenager; those who didn't vote but protest anyway; and the painfully-ignorant, right-wing wacko.

Another charming aspect of the rallies is that no coherent dialogue is said from one opposing faction to the other. There are only shouting matches, cursing and people who are in love with the sound of their own voices. Both sides are unwilling to negotiate. That's what makes this situation far from being resolved.

What's confusing is that the homosexual culture is notorious for being independent from the heterosexual community. Homosexual culture often prides itself on being separate and having its own identity, so why the fixation on marriage?

Worst of all in this fiasco is that there is literally nothing that will make everyone happy. Even though that can be said about everything else in life, there is no feasible compromise that will placate either side. If the government steps in and makes same sex marriage legal, protests will flare up from those who support traditional marriage. Voters better be ready to see this issue in the polls again in the very near future.

The side favoring traditional marriage is attacked for denying equality and civil rights to all. Those who support gay marriage have infringed on the democratic rights of millions by denying their vote.

Simply put, it's a touchy subject.

Homosexual couples deserve the right to domestic partnerships, but a church shouldn't have to marry a couple that goes against its doctrine.

Supporters of gay marriage insist that heterosexual couples' religious beliefs will not be infringed upon if Prop. 8 is overturned.

The Hornet would like to offer a sensible solution to both parties. What if we granted equal access to marriage, but what if the state stiffened the penalties for divorce?

Since most couples, gay or straight, view marriage more as an economic contract than a religious institution, the answer might lie in making marriage a high-risk, high-reward venture.

Let couples make vows and share health insurance, but economically torture them if they decide to get divorced. Ideally, there would be a way to make the partner at fault in the divorce financially responsible as well.

While the Hornet understands this is a pipe dream, our proposal is still the most rational dialogue to come out of this past week.

The State Hornet Staff can be reached at opinion@statehornet.com

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