As Illinois lawmakers prepare to consider legislation next month that would legalize same-sex marriage, the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday endorsed marriage equality.
The newspaper called the state’s existing civil unions “second class,” and said that passing a marriage equality bill is “just the right thing to do.”
With all the talk of the fiscal cliff, assault weapons and death in Newtown, Conn., it can be easy to forget that most of us go about our lives peacefully, hand-in-hand with the people we’ve chosen to call family.
For most of us, those families can be recognized by law through the institution of marriage.
But if you’re a gay or lesbian, your unions are second class under Illinois law. Even if you already have kids, a dog, a minivan, the whole nine yards.
It’s time to fix that.
[…]
At at time when the nation is feeling raw and unmoored, embracing love seems just the right thing to do.
Sponsors of a marriage equality bill in the state’s General Assembly said earlier this month they plan to bring the legislation up for vote during the lame duck session beginning Jan. 2, or early next month.
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Gov. Pat Quinn (D), who supports marriage equality for same-sex couples, said he’d like to see the bill reach his desk in early January.
The full Sun-Times editorial is here.
