Life insurance? What has life insurance have to do with gay unions? I can take out a life insurance policy and name who ever I want as beneficiary.
As to slavery, it has not been an accepted time-honored institution for over a century, which was abolished by the 13th Amendment. How about the time-honored fact women were not allowed to vote or engage in the political process? That took a Constitutional Amendment to change. What is wrong with gay activists using our Consitutional process known as the ballot box to gain what they want? They did it with anti-discrimination laws in regards to employment, housing, etc. Why appeal to anarchy to get gay unions legal? Especially in California, which has a registered domestic partners program that gives them all the rights that marriage will?
The Federal Government has a DOMA that will restrict Federal benefits so it is the Federal Law, not the state laws that needs to change. Anarchy in Frisco and other cities is not going to get this changed and in fact may work against what they want.