A Solution

Well today the Californian Supreme court heard arguments concerning the constitutionality of Proposition 8 which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. Now before I go any further I think I need to put a little disclaimer. First I am in now way anti-gay or homophobic or anything of the sort. Secondly I am not writing this to start controversy or anything I just have an opinion as simple and under thought it may be. Now for the solution. As I understand the situation the issue started off not being about getting "married" per say but more as wanting a way for a couple to be able to have many of the same rights as a married couple. From the information I have been able to find should a couple be together in all but a handful of states and should one of them fall seriously ill and not be able to make decisions or die their partner cannot make decisions concerning health care and has no claim to inheritance should death occur. Now for a heterosexual couple the partner does have some rights through common law marriage and full rights through traditional marriage. Now I think a solution could be to give a homosexual couple the rights a married couple has but not call it marriage have it be a civil union or what have you. Now the trick to this is you require everyone gay or straight to do the civil union thing. So that way both sets of couples get the same rights and we leave it up to the church or the couple to call the situation what it is they want. Maybe I haven't thought this through enough or I am missing a big part into what the controversy is about but as I see it this seems to be a fitting solution.