Rather than try to shoehorn my lengthy print story into a blog post, here are some quotes from yesterday's standing-room-only hearings on the "everything but marriage" law for state-registered domestic partners in Washington.

“You may not consider my family a family, but I know in my heart that they are. So will you please pass this bill, so that everyone can know that this is my family?”
-Benjamin, the 10-year-old son of one Seattle lesbian couple

“Genuine marriage has provided for the foundation of healthy and harmonious family living for civilized societies for centuries. It does not exist just for the emotional satisfaction, affirmation or validation of individuals, but for the greater good of the social order."
-Larry Stickney, with the Washington Values Alliance

“When our kids now ask us if we’re married, we say, ‘Not in the eyes of the law, but yes, we are married in our hearts.'"
-Amie Bishop, a social worker and mother of Benjamin.

“It was said that (same-sex marriages briefly performed in Oregon) never existed. It was a devastating and humiliating experience. All of sudden, we felt totally negated, and that we and our relationship did not exist and there was no protection for us.”
-retired National Guard Col. Grethe Cammermeyer.

"They should be satisfied withthe status quo. Enough is enough."
-a grandmother whose name I didn't get.

“I say this respectfully, but there’s going to come a time when we’re all going to have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for things done in the flesh."
-Roy Hartwell, pastor of a church near Olympia.

“We’re here, we’re coming, we’re voting...We’re voting in your districts … We’re voting for this.”
-David Iseminger of Seattle.

"We vote as well...We will be back."
-Gary Randall, with the Faith and Freedom Network

(For more context on the quotes, click on the story link above.)

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