Chris Shays and Incremental Gay Marriage

I've been a little fanatical about gay marriage, believing it should be all or nothing, viewing civil unions as a second-class unacceptable alternative. My views on that haven't changed, but I now see the tactical value of CUs as a stepping stone for full civil marriage rights. Witness CT Republican Rep. Chris Shays, whose views on same sex unions have evolved from is pro-DOMA vote from seeing all the queers get hitched where it is legal. The WashBlade has the story:

But in an interview with the Blade this week, Shays said he has reconsidered his stance on gay rights.

“Gays and lesbians don’t want special rights,” he said. “They want the same as other Americans: equal protection under the law. They deserve no less.”

Amen.

“My views on gay marriage have evolved since I voted for the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “At the time I thought I would not support gay marriages. But after watching the coverage of marriages being performed in states like California and New York, I have started to feel differently.”

“I look at these marriages and wonder how they impact in any way the marriage I have with my wife."

They don't.

"I don’t think people need to fear this type of union. I recognize two people of the same sex can be involved in a loving, long-term relationship and feel no less love for one another than partners in a heterosexual relationship. Our challenge is to find a way to recognize a legally binding contractual relationship between two consenting adults of the same sex.”

No challenge -- it's called civil marriage. Hopefully Shays and more like him will evolve to that point.