It's been three years since New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed the bill that created civil unions for same-sex couples. The move, mandated by a 2006 state Supreme Court ruling, was intended to extend all the same benefits and protections offered by the state for married couples to same-sex couples -- without calling the arrangement "marriage." Opponents of same-sex marriage said the law went too far, but supporters say civil unions amount to second-class rights. Gay couples are often denied health benefits or barred from visiting their partner in an emergency room - usually because hospital staff are unfamiliar with the civil union law. Opponents say marriage is defined by the union of a man and a woman and cannot be replicated by same-sex couples, but for committed, long-time couples - many of whom have raised families in New Jersey -- it is simply insulting to be denied the right to call their relationship a marriage. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)
2 comments:
I love the way people just stand up and make statements and think that just because they make that statement, it must be true. Len Deo in the film says that Marriage is not a civil right but a Civil privilege. Let me take that a step further and say that there is no such thing as a right. Every liberty we have is a privilege. Privileges are granted by those in power. Privileges are given and taken away with the stroke of a pen. All those things that this very smug individual thinks of as rights, can be taken away. Do you think you have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Think again. Those are privileges and were won by force of arms in bloody battle. Our constitution and laws have evolved since 1776. When first written only male landowners could vote. Slavery was legal. Women had few property rights which they lost when they became married. All the things we currently think of as rights are privileges fought for and finally signed into law.
The same man also says that hetero sexual marriage is better for the children. They know who their parents are. It’s less confusing. Obviously he hasn’t looked at the divorce rate lately. Maybe he should come back after he fixes all the other problems like spousal abuse, abandonment and child abuse before he makes the claim that only in a hetero sexual relationship can there be good parenting and a happy homelife.
Preach it, Sister!
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