Civil marriage like all civil rights provided by the government must be provided equally to all Americans.

The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution.

I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody their civil rights.

It's only fair that stable gay relationships of long standing should have the same rights and responsibilities as married couples. I know the image of gay marriage is to some people horrific and ludicrous.

Marriage is sacred and protected and has nothing to do with violating our civil rights.

I rise today in support of Bill C-38 the Civil Marriage Act. I rise in support of a Canada in which liberties are safeguarded rights are protected and the people of this land are treated as equals under the law.

Particularly black Americans many of them from quotes that I have seen and conversations I've had are sort of insulted that the civil rights movement is being hijacked - the rhetoric of the civil rights movement is being hijacked for something like same sex marriage. Black Americans tend to have a higher degree of religiosity.

Bishop Frederick Henry of Calgary is facing at least two official objections to his public statements along with expensive hearings before the Alberta Human Rights Commission for expressing his biblical views on same sex marriage.

The sad truth is that the civil rights movement cannot be reborn until we identify the causes of black suffering some of them self-inflicted. Why can't black leaders organize rallies around responsible sexuality birth within marriage parents reading to their children and students staying in school and doing homework?

I would love to have the same rights as everybody else. I would love I don't care if it's called marriage. I don't care if it's called you know domestic partnership. I don't care what it's called.