Maggie Gallagher and similar gay-haters pretend that they are only concerned with "protecting marriage." Recent events in Rhode Island where NOM and other religious based bigots convinced the state's governor (pictured at left) to veto a bill that would have granted funeral rights to gay couples proves otherwise. Their true agenda is to diminish and marginalize gay lives in any and every way possible. It's beyond heartless and down right cruel and fortunately the state legislature saw the obvious and overrode the veto. Once again, the self-congratulatory "Christians" are the least Christian of all when one observes their behavior and motives. I truly believe that Ms. Gallagher and her likes view LGBT citizens as less than animals. It sickens me. Here are highlights from the Washington Post: *
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow same-sex and unmarried couples the right to plan the funerals of their late partners, overriding a veto by the governor, who warned it eroded traditional marriage. The bill passed 67-3 in the House and 31-3 in the Senate, and enjoyed support from several Republican lawmakers in the same party as Gov. Don Carcieri, an adamant opponent of same-sex marriage in a state that does not recognize gay unions. The new funeral planning rights also apply to unmarried heterosexual couples.
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Mark Goldberg, 49, pushed for the legislation after struggling for five weeks to claim the body of his partner of 17 years, Ron Hanby, who committed suicide in October 2008. The state medical examiner would not release Hanby's body to Goldberg because they were not married or relatives, even though the couple had wills and other legal documents attesting to their relationship.
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To qualify for funeral planning rights, a couple must be at least 18, have lived together for one year and prove they were financially dependent, for example, by owning property together or sharing a bank account.
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Carcieri argued that state law already allows residents to designate people to plan their funerals. He said the requirements in the bill meant to prove a relationship were too vague. "Finally, this bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred way to approach this issue," Carcieri wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow same-sex and unmarried couples the right to plan the funerals of their late partners, overriding a veto by the governor, who warned it eroded traditional marriage. The bill passed 67-3 in the House and 31-3 in the Senate, and enjoyed support from several Republican lawmakers in the same party as Gov. Don Carcieri, an adamant opponent of same-sex marriage in a state that does not recognize gay unions. The new funeral planning rights also apply to unmarried heterosexual couples.
*
Mark Goldberg, 49, pushed for the legislation after struggling for five weeks to claim the body of his partner of 17 years, Ron Hanby, who committed suicide in October 2008. The state medical examiner would not release Hanby's body to Goldberg because they were not married or relatives, even though the couple had wills and other legal documents attesting to their relationship.
*
To qualify for funeral planning rights, a couple must be at least 18, have lived together for one year and prove they were financially dependent, for example, by owning property together or sharing a bank account.
*
Carcieri argued that state law already allows residents to designate people to plan their funerals. He said the requirements in the bill meant to prove a relationship were too vague. "Finally, this bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred way to approach this issue," Carcieri wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
