Giannoulias takes stand in favor of gay marriage

[ccharles000]

Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias said Wednesday he favors legalization of same-sex marriage and, if elected, would seek to repeal a federal law that defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.

In an interview, Giannoulias said individual states should be able to decide for themselves whether they allow same-sex couples to marry, but that all states should be required to afford legal recognition to same-sex marriages performed in states where they are sanctioned.

Giannoulias also would require the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages, now prohibited by the Defense of Marriage Act he wants repealed. He says this would have the effect, in part, of allowing gay and lesbian couples to file joint federal income tax returns and receive Social Security survivor benefits.

To top it off, he wants to repeal the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

"This goes to what this country was founded on -- equality and fairness," said Giannoulias, emphasizing that he sees same-sex marriage as a constitutional and legal issue in the context of past civil rights struggles.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/brown/1750844,CST-NWS-brown03.article