[Kevin]

To play Devil's Advocate...

If we're talking marriage, it's not a bedroom issue. To call it such is to ignore probably around 90% of what marriage is in our society.

Marriage means the combination of assets, paying taxes differently, insurance rates as job benefits applied to spouse, even divorce.

Supporting other peoples' marriages (and divorces) costs us all money. Insurance premiums will be effected (as more individuals will be placed on the "family" roster), court rooms will be crowded even more than they are now as gay people will want divorces as often as straight people. Calling it a "bedroom issue" and invoking the 9th amendment doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

There's a school of thought out there that says public officials are elected by supporters that want them because of their values, moral stands and goals for society. While many might not see this as a moral issue, many others do.

For the Vatican to encourage public officials to vote according to their own values is definitely appropriate! It's just as appropriate as the gay rights activists lobbying their folks to vote their way.

It's America -- both sides have a right to exist and have equal right to be heard. In the end, one or even both will get what they want.