"I don't think society at large should be pushed in a direction they don't want to go, by a small but powerful pressure group...Ake"

Why would allowing one reltively small group to have freedom as they see it be construed as pushing society at large anywhere? Nothing is changed by same-sex couples have a legal piece of paper...and thus, peace of mind. ....well, unless you mean certain heterosexuals peace of mind! Is that the issue?: having anti-gay folk walking around in frustration just KNOWING that 'those people' have equal status?

Sorry...but it seems to me that "society at large" needs to just turn its metaphorical head and look at something else.