The Democrat and Chronicle has enough problems. It's hard to kick a dog when it's down, but the daily's editorial board couldn't have gotten it more wrong in its May 17 Op-ed endorsing civil unions instead of marriage for same-sex couples.

It was a strange position, considering Rochester's history.

Long-term same-sex relationships have been around since the beginning of time. They've certainly been around as long as marriage in the man-woman sense. To think otherwise is naive.

Our Constitution protects religious freedom, true.

But why shouldn't religious values be challenged? Elites in the Roman Catholic Church, for example, protested President Barack Obama's invitation to speak to Notre Dame's graduating class because of Obama's position on abortion. One protestor shouted, "You have blood on your hands."

But both George H. Bush and his son George W. spoke at Notre Dame; both men were war presidents and supporters of capital punishment.

So, why the double standard?

Because there is still such extreme prejudice in this country toward the LGBT community is all the more reason why religion's bureaucracy should be the first to sanction same-sex commitments. (Last week was the 10-year anniversary of Matthew Shepard's brutal murder.)

Why should the private sector or Middle America be expected to adopt more tolerant views, when the pulpit is preaching a different doctrine?

In some churches it is a hateful message, which should come as no surprise. Over the millennia, religious institutions have sanctioned some pretty nasty behavior.

Like it or not, and some people don't, same-sex marriage is the civil rights issue of our time.

It, not abortion, will become the litmus test for Obama's Supreme Court selection.

It's time to wake up, D&C.