Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Same-Sex America
We watched a heart-wrenching documentary last night about same-sex couples and their fight for civil liberties in Massachusetts. I was impressed with the filmmaker and how well he illustrated the inequalities between same-sex and heterosexual couples. What really got to us was that if a same sex couple wants to adopt a child, both names cannot be on the adoption certificate. This means that if the adopting parent dies, that child will be put in foster care rather than remain in the care of the living parent. Also, same-sex couples are not eligible for any of the benefits afforded to heterosexual couples. This indicates a clear bias against same-sex couples, and a definite violation of their civil liberties. There is no way around it, and nothing is going to convince me otherwise. As for the infidelity argument, one of the couples begging for their right to get married were together for 49 years. The others featured in the documentary had all been together for 10 years or more. It broke my heart to watch my fellow Americans fighting so hard for rights that many of us take for granted, and failing again and again.
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15 comments:
This comes under privacy. While I tend not to get involved in "gonadal politics," whomever someone marries is none of the government's business.
PC we live in such a primitive society --- and I agree with Zombie.
Zombie,
But whom one is not allowed to marry IS the government's business as it is a civil rights issue. You can't help being born gay just as you can't help being born black.
NSC,
If you want to talk about state's rights, let's allow the states to decided whether blacks and women can vote, or how much money your family has to make before you an attend oublic school. In fact, let's give all of the power to the states and forget that the federal level was instated o INSURE CIVIL RIGHTS.
BY CLEAR HEADED THINKER
We have actually had a discussion about my views on the same sex marriage thing back in June - before you required me to take a blog name. While I answered all your questions, you never responded to mine - except to ask more questions. I believe this is an area where we will need to agree to disagree.
As far as a describing a society that has run amok - Here's a few examples.
A society where:
...an extremely high number of children are living in families with no steady, responsible adult caregivers who role model the type of behavior that makes a person a contributing member of society. Or living with one exhausted parent who doesn't have the time or the energy to pay attention to what's going on with the kids. Or children not living in families at all, but are being bounced around the system.
...casual sex is so widespread that children as young as 11 & 12 are getting pregnant and STDs because even though they have been taught prevention methods, they've never learned to say no.
...people don't know their neighbors, people will step on each other to get what they want, integrity is found in fewer and fewer people.
...people are afraid to help each other because there may be some kind of liability and they could get sued.
...teachers can't teach because they have to learn to control the classroom behavior of kids whose parents send them to school to be babysat while they work.
...schools need to subject children to way too much testing to make sure that they are learning - because of the teachers and districts that are apathetic and weren't really doing their jobs.
...government is asked (required?)to do things that should be handled by families, churches, neigborhoods, friends, and volunteer organizations.
That's all I have time for now.
Clearheaded,
What questions about same sex marriage did I not answer? Sometimes, it is appropriate to answer a question with a question. It's a Socratic philosophy method that allows people to furthe explore WHY they think what they thing rather than whether it's righ or wrong.
What are the behaviors you feel makes a person not a contributing member of society?
Who is supposed to teach children to say no to sex?
What is casual sex, and why is it wrong?
What does an apathetic teacher look like to you?
What should be handled by the community rather than the government?
Thank you for answering. I disagree with you on casual sex. There are ways to prevent pregnancy and STD's, and people should be able to do what they want, however, they should also be financially responsible for the treatment of STD's or all that goes with pregnancy. I think the emotional side is their business alone. As far as teaching kids to say no to sex, it is the parent's responsibility. All other adults should say, "Talk to your parents." or "Wait until you're at least 18."
Holy shit do I wish I had the time to jump into this one!!
I'll tell you this though...
NSC would be whipped into a serious frenzy of extreme pleasure and contentment at the language I would have to employ in order to properly address this one. The thoughts that are flooding my head at the moment would be enough to make even the blackest skinned person flush fire engine red with amusement were they to be actually spoken aloud or even typed for that matter. If only I had the time. Problem is I couldn't do it without typing many pages and I just haven't got the time for that today.
I'll also say that for once My Dearest Polanco and I are in complete agreement. They should be allowed to get married. None of my, or anyone else's fucking business.
Damn I hate that I have to go.
Until later...
If you're stupid enough to get yourself infected, you're responsible for yourself. There IS such a thing as personal responsibility. If you can't get your kids to listen to you, that's your problem. It's your responsibility to teach them how to handle the things the world presents them with. Again, this comes to personal responsibility and choice. I make my own choices. You shouldn't be allowed to limit them because of your beliefs. If you don't want your kid to make the choices I make, teach them to make different choices. But don't dare limit my choices because of you personal opinions.
PC - That's kind of what I mean. it's nobody's business. So there shouldn't be a law saying who you can and cannot marry, unless the person is underage.
Ever notice the same people who bitch and scream if schools attempt to discpline their children (thats the parents responsibility), suddenly want the schools to be the moral arbiters of sexual ettiquite because they don't have the balls to teach their kids themselves?
Clearheaded,
I believe in my comment I said that adults should tell kids to ask their parents or wait until they're 18. Isn't that what you said? I don't think our positions are any different regarding sex ed. We just use different wording.
NSC,
Thanks for the clarification!
As I have said on other posts on this issue, I am FOR same sex marriages.
They should have the same legal rights and privileges which other married couples have.
It is indeed a government issue, as these rights and privileges have to be protected and safeguarded by writing them into the statute books.
I'm glad to see that so many of you support this civil rights issue. We;ve come a long way from twenty years ago, or even five years ago. This is the one issue that gives me hope that America can change.
PC - I don't see this as a Civil Rights issue at all, but as a privacy issue.
Whom you have sex with is a privacy issue. Whom you are allowed to marry is a civil rights issue.
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