Public-opinion polls show that Americans split about evenly on civil unions. But when the words 'gay marriage' are presented they break 3-to-1 against it.

We are very puritan in America. We still hold true to these really antiquated values this idea of the sanctity of marriage.

I mean for all of his faults and the troubles in his marriage Bill Clinton is still married to a girl he met in the library 25 years ago at school. Can we say that about many of our other leaders today in America including on the right wing?

Gay marriage has jumped out of the closet on to the front page. Everyone from the president of the U.S. to retired four-star general Colin Powell is embracing the issue now supported by most Americans. Still a few people like former First Lady Laura Bush appear to be conflicted.

Out of control judicial activism threatens traditional marriage in America.

American couples have gone to such lengths to avoid the interference of in-laws that they have to pay marriage counselors to interfere between them.

Of course the simple explanation of the fact is that marriage is the most important act of man's life in Europe or America and that everything depends upon it.

You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. You know marriage is between a man and a woman but they understand that they are moving inevitably catching up to the American public.

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.

In 1977 we played America and Europe three times and Japan - my marriage suffered as a result. My then wife took the kids to Canada to be near her parents.