Posted on 05/04/2005 3:46:58 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Medford, Oregon - There's nothing so special about two gays living together, or two lesbians living together, that should cause Oregon's Legislature to treat them any differently than the members of any other special family unit. If those in non-married, non-traditional relationships, want the same benefits as marrieds, all Oregonians should all be treated the same.
Discrimination by any other name is still discrimination.
Gays and lesbians in Oregon have claimed that they are a discriminated class of Americans because they are denied the same legal status and the same tax and estate planning benefits as married, heterosexual couples.
By Oregonian's overwhelming electoral support for a no-gay-marriage constitutional amendment and as a result of the unanimous Oregon Supreme Court hand-slapping of Multnomah County commissioner's illegal gay/lesbian marriage licensing fiasco, Oregon now stands firmly on the side of traditional marriage...One man and one woman.
Now, gay and lesbian couples, along with Oregon's Governor Ted Kulongoski, are lobbying for the same benefits as traditionally married couples, but I don't hear these gays and lesbians shouting for similar treatment of other non-traditional couples and families.
The process of achieving non-discriminatory status for "couples" should start by rectifying the terrible impact of lost social security benefits for the surviving spouse of a person who accumulated social security benefits during his/her lifetime, but was unable to receive those benefits due to an early death. That's a national issue, but it impacts widowed Oregonians.
The process of achieving non-discriminatory status for "couples" should proceed with the immediate elimination of all marriage tax penalties. Traditionally married couples have paid substantially more tax into the coffers of government simply because they entered into a committed, heterosexual marriage. Meanwhile, other couples dodged the higher costs of marriage by staying non-traditional.
Only after all of the discriminatory practices which adversely affect traditionally married couples have been eliminated, should the Oregon State Legislature consider drafting legislation that evens the tax and benefits playing field for all types of non-traditional relationships.
How can Oregon level the field for aging siblings who reside together for their mutual survival? Why isn't their tax and benefits status considered to be a form of discrimination against this class of Oregonians?
How can Oregon level the field for unmarried couples who are shacking up together?...pardon the old fashioned description of this practice. Why isn't their tax and benefits status considered to be a form of discrimination against this class of Oregonians?
How can Oregon level the field for straight (i.e.. non-homosexual) roommates who share an apartment in order to keep down their cost of rent? Why isn't their tax and benefits status considered to be a form of discrimination against this class of Oregonians?
How can Oregon level the field for any other non-traditional living arrangement?
As long as there is tax and benefits discrimination against traditional heterosexual marrieds in Oregon, there should be no special treatment of non-traditional relationships.
And, as long as traditional married couples continue to be discriminated against simply because of their traditional married status, there should be no special rights for those who claim minority status but who are not members of minority groups. Minority status is deservedly reserved for only those true classes of Americans who have been defined to be minorities by acts of Congress or by the US judiciary.
Shouting loud and long enough, even with the continual support of Oregon's newsrag editorialists isn't justification, in and of itself, for special treatment of gay and lesbian couples. Any move in that direction by the Oregon Legislature is surely going to suffer the same fate as gay marriage when it is brought before the electorate and/or the Oregon Supreme Court.
Dennis M. Becklin, Publisher
www.ThePortlandNews.com
www.SalemOregonNews.com
www.EugeneOregonNews.com
www.BendOregonNews.com
www.MedfordNews.com
www.NewsAshland.com
Contact info: Dennis M. Becklin may be reached at
dennis@SouthernOregonNews.com.
There is a rational basis for marriage since it does not discriminate. Any two folks of the opposite sex can get married no matter what they do or don't do in the bedroom.
do they feel 'discriminated' against also because they can't be general managers of a major league baseball team ? i'm sick of these 'perverts' and their 'agenda'
They'll still convince enough judges and the Legislature will be ordered to make it law.
And the people will let it happen.
Bad news for the pillow biters.
Why should marriage be limited to people of the opposite sex? I can understand if that is how churches want it, but not by the state. In fact, the state shouldn't recognize marriage period.
I have several female cats I want to marry, but neither gays-rights group, nor polygamists, nor animals rights group will take up my cause! :(
Rush Limbaugh spent a good amount of time on this topic on his show today. As usual, El Rushbo was right on the money!
Char :)
Not true.
I can't marry my Mom.
I can't marry any of my sisters.
I can't marry either of my daughters.
Since I'm already married, when you come right down to it, I can't marry any other woman whatsoever.
If I weren't already married, I still can't marry any other woman who is already married.
Ultimately, marriage is not a "right" - it's an obligation that historically had to be accepted prior to "taking steps which could reasonably be expected to lead to procreation".
Really. Why should non-sexual relationships be discriminated against. If they live together then they should get benefits too. For that matter, why discriminate against single people? Let two single people join together and share benefits even if they don't live in the same house.
I would think that if civil unions are allowed and recognized legally that opposite sex couples would also be allowed to form civil unions also.
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