Now there are defeats in three of the most liberal states in the Union, CA, ME, and NY.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gay_marriage_ny

While that sincerely upsets a lot of people who, rightfully perhaps, feel betrayed, there is a way forward. Eclipsed by the ME results were the election results from WA where the ‘everything but the name’ measure passed, giving gay couples all the rights that the state provides married heterosexuals. For reasons that are too deep and too tied to history and tradition, it seems, even many liberals are uncomfortable with the appellation ‘marriage’ for anything but a one man-one woman union; it seems a more practical approach to bypass that and go the route of civil unions and the ‘everything but name’ solution that WA gay rights groups successfully executed. Even I will be supportive of civil union legislation in my state, and I am one of those hated libertarian-conservatives.

It seems to me that with an approach that avoids using the term ‘marriage’ and has iron clad protections for religious entities (incl church/synagogue/mosque affiliated organizations) safe from judicial meddling, gay rights does indeed have a way forward in today’s political climate.