Special Rights? - Page One
The hypocrisy of the right is made clear
by Deborah Levinson
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MORE • Short Whipple Bio • The Marriage Question FROM THE FORUM "Seen as creating a special right of inheritance for gay couples. Simultaneously seen as creating gay marriage rights. Is it just me, or are those two protests contradictory? They won't let us have the same marriage rights, because that would be bad. And they won't let us have rights outside of marriage, because that would be special." ---SARRELLEC |
Fact: If a man and woman are married and one of them is killed due to the intentional or negligent act of another person the surviving spouse (and "blood" relatives) has the right to sue for "wrongful death" seeking monetary damages to compensate them for the loss of that person. (Such as the Goldmans filed against O.J. Simpson after the death of their son Ron.)
Fact: Change the parties to two men or two women, whose relationship is a marriage in all but civil recognition of same, and that same, equal right, does not exist.
"You are therefore seeking SPECIAL rights," they cry! "You are not married so you aren't entitled to make a "wrongful death" claim."
Fact: If a man and woman are married, and one of them dies intestate (without a Will) a certain portion of their estate must pass to their spouse (and additional "blood" relatives).
Fact: Change the parties to two men or two women, whose relationship is a marriage in all but civil recognition of same, and that same, equal right, does not exist.
Some families swoop in and say, "We don't care that the two of you lived together as equal partners for twenty years. HE paid for THAT couch, and WE are going to get it."
Fact: Planet Out reporting on a report from The Denver Post notes, "A bill that would have allowed survivors to claim the estate of their gay or lesbian partner died in the Colorado legislature." Additionally noting that, "The bill, introduced by state senator Pat Pascoe, would have allowed the surviving 'committed partner' in a same-sex relationship to inherit the couple’s property even in the absence of a will." The circular reasoning of the "Far Right" is made clear in this reported response, "...opponents of the measure said that it was effectively creating gay marriage rights. 'I see this bill as special inheritance rights for homosexuals,' said state senator Marilyn Musgrave. The bill has been rejected three years in a row."
Next page > Specious use of the word "Special" > Page 1, 2
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