Posted on 05/09/2009 1:04:15 PM PDT by libh8er
WHITINSVILLE, Mass., – Twenty years after he met the love of his life, nearly five years after their wedding helped make history, it took a nasty bout of pneumonia for Gary Chalmers to fully appreciate the blessings of marriage.
"I was out of work for eight weeks, spent a week in the hospital," Chalmers said. "That was the first time I really felt thankful for the sense of the security we had, with Rich there, talking with the physicians, helping make decisions. ... It really made a difference."
At stake was the most basic recognition of marital bonds — something most spouses take for granted. But until May 17, 2004, when Chalmers and Richard Linnell were among a surge of same-sex couples marrying in Massachusetts, it was legally unavailable to American gays and lesbians.
Since that day, four other states — Connecticut in 2008, and Iowa, Vermont and Maine this year — have legalized same-sex marriage, and more may follow soon. A measure just approved by New Hampshire's legislature awaits the governor's decision on whether to sign. But Massachusetts was the first, providing a five-year record with which to gauge the consequences.
At the time of those first weddings, the debate was red-hot — protests were frequent, expectations ran high that legislators would allow a referendum on whether to overturn the court ruling ordering same-sex marriage. Now, although Roman Catholic leaders and some conservative activists remain vocally opposed, there is overwhelming political support for same-sex marriage and no prospect for a referendum.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
If there is such an "overwhelming political support" for an issue, why would not politicians allow referendum?
An Advanced Medical Directive would have been all that was needed.
For only 2% of the population??/ That’s BS. Must be at least 20% in the closet.
You stole my rant. Amen.
Romney’s gay marriage imposition has removed the vote.
I’m all about freedom and liberty...but dang this makes me feel all yucky..I think I need to go take a shower now.
I have no problem with what two consenting adults do behind closed doors, but I do have a problem when they try to “mainstream” the behavior and make it appear normal.
They can have their “civil unions” but damnit MARRIAGE is supposed to be a contract between a man and a woman, who pledge their lives together with the sole purpose of eventually producing children, in order to further the human race.
It’s physically impossible for gays to do this, therefor it is NOT natural or normal. Two men scroggin’ will NEVER have the potential to produce another life. The only way they can ever have kids is if they compete with truly INFERTILE hetero couples(who are infertile through no fault of their own) to adopt a child or if they dupe some lesbians into having a kid for them. I understand they may need certain legal protections that a civil union may afford them, but dang they don’t need to elevate that deviant behavior to MARRIAGE status.
Iccckkk
“it was legally unavailable to American gays and lesbians. “
Unless they filed the paperwork with the hospital. That would require a plan, responsibility, and would never make a headline.
“Gay Partner Allowed To Visit Lover Because They Filed Limited Power Of Attorney Paper”
Sub: “Makes legal medical decisions to help lifelong friend”
"At stake was the most basic recognition of marital bonds — something most spouses take for granted. But until May 17, 2004, when Chalmers and Richard Linnell were among a surge of same-sex couples marrying in Massachusetts, it was legally unavailable to American gays and lesbians.
That is a straightforward lie (no pun intended).
An appropriately written, duly signed and notarized "Durable Power of Attorney", by ANY ONE, designating ANY ONE as a "person of interest" in their medical decisions IS legal authority enough for someone so designated to have "visiting" privileges equal to a spouse, or 1st-order family members, in any medical facility. Hospitals know this because they have challenged them and lost.
That same "Durable Power of Attorney" can designate ANY ONE as THE person to make the medical decisions for the patient should the patient become incapable of doing so on their own. Properly established these documents TRUMP even meddling "family members".
Similar remedies in wills, estates, property titles, "living wills" and "family trusts" CAN and DO secure joint or shared financial interests for ANY persons for whom such documents establish those interests.
Even "pension" and "insurance" beneficiary concerns do not REQUIRE any state or federal law, only the decision of the pension or insurance outfit to provide for them in cases of unmarried individuals. Matter of fact, without any state or federal mandate, more and more private plans have, on their own, expanded their terms for eligible beneficiary for their policies.
People demanding 'change' actually have better possibilities for results under freedom and liberty than they do under the sword of government.
The activists got started pushing their agenda in the schools right after the ruling, and some parents who hadn't really given the matter any thought, were suddenly confronted by it, and they weren't thrilled. I guess it remains to be seen if we'll ever get to vote on the matter.
<“Gay Partner Allowed To Visit Lover Because They Filed Limited Power Of Attorney Paper”
Absolutely. My great-aunt and her partner were together for over 50 years until my great-aunt’s death. They had legal arrangements for everything they needed. At no point during my great-aunt’s struggle with Alzheimer’s was her partner denied anything having to do with her health care, finances, etc.
I admit, I never asked them whether they would prefer to be legally married, but they lived their lives and took care of each other using the same laws that are available to all of us.
“I was out of work for eight weeks, spent a week in the hospital,” Chalmers said. “That was the first time I really felt thankful for the sense of the security we had, with Rich there, talking with the physicians, helping make decisions. ... It really made a difference.”
I actually blame the hospitals for civil unions and marriages. If they would not have draconian rules about the “only family members”. And allow for friends who some people love more than family...lol. This entire marriage/civil union thing would not even be an issue.
Funny part of all this (and a true one) is that the “gays” are now seeking to allow monogamy to go the way of the dodo bird...
Gays and leftoids have designed a carefully planned agenda and are succeeding in their quest for multiple “partnerships” or whatever the Muslims call having many spouses all at once. Drip, drip, drip, the perverts are slowly chipping away at morality and what is left of America’s values. Sad but inevitable with Obama in the Whitehouse and the communists in Congress.
But we knew all along that that was a bullshit argument.
Had nothing to do with Romney, only a fool would think so.
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