Mon
Aug 21 2006
08:34 am

Since both of our Senatorial candidates and the presumed governor for the next term all oppose "gay" marriage, I have to post this list of rights and ask which ones of these should a gay couple NOT be allowed to have?

 

  • Abuse — Able to qualify for various abuse programs as spouses.
  • Adoption — Entitled to all the protections and benefits available when adopting. Same-sex couples already are allowed to adopt, but laws would reflect that those couples would now be treated as spouses.
  • Custody
  • Definitions — Use of State laws that confer benefits or rights to people based on their marital or family status, such as family landowner rights to hunt and fish, or definitions of family farmers.
  • Discrimination — Use of laws prohibiting discrimination based on marital status.
  • Compensation — Use of victim' compensation and workers' compensation related to spouses.
  • Family Leave
  • Health Care — Able to make medical decisions for incapacitated partner. Able to visit hospitals visitation and be notified of a partner's condition.
  • Insurance — State employees are treated as spouses for insurance or continuing care contracts.
  • Lawsuits — Able to sue for wrongful death, the emotional distress caused by a partner's death or injury, and loss of consortium caused by death or injury.
  • Property — Entitled to joint title, transfer from one to the other on death, and property transfer tax benefits.
  • Probate — Use probate law and procedures.
  • Tax — Treated as an economic unit.
  • Testimony — Not be compelled to testify against one another.

    Why not? I mean what does it cost us as a society?

     And don't give me that crap about "where does it stop" and mention Rick Santorum and his fantasy world of men marrying dogs. It's a contract, FundXtians, dogs can't sign and neither can 15 year old girls. And, If a grown man can talk 5 grown women into marrying him...Well, you just can't legislate stupidity out of existance. 

  • R. Neal's picture

    Steve, you need to quit

    Steve, you need to quit making stuff up. The rightwingers tell us that same-sex couple have all the same legal rights as married couples. Pay attention.

    WhitesCreek's picture

    Bubba said: Steve, you need

    Bubba said:

     Steve, you need to quit making stuff up.

    Dang...Caught me again! Actually, Here's one source for that list with a comparison of rights in states which recognize same sex marriage. There's a lot of reading that goes along with it:

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/8/19/191847/272

    Unk, I think the state has no business being in the marriage business. Civil contracts... yes. You're splitting hairs trying not to define legal contractual rights as ...well, rights. Pure Libertarian concept would seem to disallow current marriage law which tends to favor traditional child producing liaisons over a single person.

    Metulj, Until I remembered what "solipsism" meant, the only thought I had was, "...and sometimes "y" and "W" and "M". " But I guess that depends on whether you think solipsism has three syllables or four. Once I came to grips with the fact that shit happened while I was asleep, I abandoned my Me centered conceptual universe. Unk, not so much.

    Cheers

    SayUncle's picture

    Do you contend that things

    Do you contend that things recognized by the state via the covenant of marriage are 'rights'? I don't. As you said, it's merely a contract between folks (say, you guys are starting to get this libertarian thing).

    That said, I think the benefits and obligations that come with marriage should be conferred to same sex couples.

    ---
    SayUncle
    Can't we all just get a long gun?

    Mike Stevens's picture

    Want to do something about those rights that gays should share?

    I urge every open-minded voter in Knoxville to take a look at Vote No on 1, the campaign working to stop discrimination from entering our state constitution this November. Our initiative is just getting started up in the Knoxville area with door-to-door canvassers and city meetings about this issues (see the site for more details). We need all the help we can get -- make a donation, order a yard sign and/or bumper sticker. Just please help to get the word out. And when you go to vote this November, keep the dignity and equality of your fellow citizens in mind -- Vote NO.

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