As many New York State residents know, the NYS Senate is trying to muster the votes to legalize Gay Marriage. The last time it was up for a vote (back in 2009), it was decisively defeated as political payback for the then unpopular, "unelected" Governor Paterson.
I want to start by saying state government should completely get out of the marriage racket & simply give everyone who applies a "civil union." That way the religious institutions can keep the "sanctity of marriage" intact & approve or deny those they either deem worthy or not worthy as they see fit.
That's not remotely going to happen though. Religious institutions have convinced themselves that marriage is sacred yet they allow annulments & divorces.
Why do I approve of gay marriage?
If a gay or lesbian couple wish to be miserable for the rest of the lives just like a hetero couple is, who am I to tell them they can't?
Seriously though, withing the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution lies the Equal Protection Clause. The government "must provide equal protection under the law to all people within its jurisdiction." Unmarried gay couples do not have the legal right to decide next of kin medical issue in regards to their partner. They often cannot legally be put on their partners insurance plans. In many states, they are barred from adopting children. Its modern Jim Crow'ism & a wrong that needs immediate righting.
My favorite argument revolves around the revenue. NYS is facing a $6 billion budget shortfall, if not more. Married couples need a marriage license for their union to be legal. Licenses cost money. Since fickle NY'ers complain about having high taxes yet don't want their services cut, we gotta get the money from somewhere. The windfall from new marriage licenses seems like the perfect fit in helping meet SOME of those budgetary needs.
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In other news...
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This is Meagan, taken back in December.
It may not reflect in this image but she's a very creative spirit & an accomplished photographer in her own right. Nor does it hurt that her love of books has earned her a special place in my heart. :)
Feel free to comment away if you so desire.
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1 comment:
Umm... 14th Amendment.
Though the hard core ideologues and theocrats aren’t going to be swayed by the economic arguments.
I’m still waiting for a not-completely-absurd argument against equality.
You’re right that the state should give everyone civil unions. In reality, a state marriage IS a civil union... a union recognized by civil authorities.
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