Durbin: Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Campaign Issue
Should Gay Marriage be an issue in the presidential race? U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says yes.
Durbin says gay marriage should be a platform for the Democrats leading up to the November election. He says as a civil issue it’s something that should be discussed and ultimately implemented but it should not interfere with long standing religious practices.
“There’s no requirement of any religious group following in that path,” Durbin said. “They can do what they wish. They can set their own standards, but from a civil side yes, to allow a civil union or a civil marriage between two individuals that make that commitment.”
Asked if churches would lose federal tax exempt status if they didn’t support such a mandate, Durbin says it’s unlikely. “I’ve never heard of a single case yet, not one, where anyone has suggested mandating that a religion change its beliefs when it comes to this,”Durbin said.
“A religious ceremony is still under the terms and conditions set that by religion not by the government.”
