The same sex marriage debate is not about religion, gender identity or the need to return to the values of "the good old days".
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It is, first and foremost, a question of human rights. Why should one section of our community be denied the right to exercise a choice the majority takes for granted?
This is why, with the first postal survey forms due to begin arriving in home letter boxes across the nation this week, The Canberra Times is supporting calls for a yes vote, in order to send the strongest possible message to our parliamentarians this is an idea whose time has come.
While the postal survey process is not one most supporters of same sex marriage would have ever asked for and is, in the final analysis, unlikely to tell us any more than we would have learnt from a well-conducted opinion poll, it is the only option on the table.
The second worst possible result would be for an ambiguous outcome that would send a signal to conservative MPs the proposal did not enjoy widespread community support and they were free to vote against it without any fear of electoral backlash.
A "no" result would be even worse. It would leave the country bitter and divided community in which LGBTI Australians were left to conclude there had been little real progress since the not so distant days when homosexuality was a criminal offence.
This would be the likely outcome of any push to boycott the survey process on the admittedly reasonable grounds this is a question that should have been settled in the affirmative by the parliament a long time ago.
Our best advice, even for those heartily disenchanted by the way the plebiscite push and now the postal survey has been handled, is to pick up this admittedly flawed process up and run with it.
Maximum community participation is the way forward with the final decision almost certain to favour whichever camp, either "yes" or "no", is most successful in rallying eligible participants to it's banner.
Given the results are not, in any way, binding on Federal MPs and Senators it is imperative there be an overwhelming show of support for same sex couples to receive the same legal protections and recognition of their relationships as heterosexual couples.
If this was to occur then those MPs considering voting "no" in parliament would be confronted with a clear choice between championing their own private views or those of the electorate.
All MPs, regardless of their individual positions on this and other matters, should always be conscious they represent everyone in their electorate; not just those people who voted for them. To their credit some parliamentarians have already said they will respect and vote according to the will of their constituents, even if they don't personally agree with the outcome.
The wishes of the community, not the pride and the personal prejudices of individual politicians, should determine the outcome of this long running issue.
