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• Nadine Clement
• Newbury, NH
• United States

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Make Civil Marriage the Norm for the entire country and religious marriage a symbolic addition to that

For years we have been trying to make people reform their religious views to include gay marriage and I think it is causing harm to both parties. I am suggesting a simple alternative, make civil unions the default of the land, if you want to get marriage under the eyes of god that is a separate ceremony.

All laws that include incentives for 'marriage' should be changed to 'civil union' in the books.

Religious ceremonies should be separate from the government and should not give any additional rights that you would not get in a civil union.

Civil Unions therefore should be expanded to included any and all rights of a marriage as we think of it now and religious marriage should be reduced to a symbolic ceremony.

In short in this system EVERYONE would be required to get a civil union if they wanted the United States of American to view them as couple, and then after that they are free to make the decision if they want to have a religious cermony in the eyes of God.

This would be protecting religious rights but also giving rights to the people that deserve to be regonized as a couple with all the incentives and protections of marriage.

Thank you for reading my petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-president-of-the-united-states-make-civil-unions-the-norm-for-all-couples