Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Web Wednesday: Respect, Dignity and Something Resembling Compassion
If this seems over-the-top, consider that Rhode Island Governor Carcieri just vetoed a domestic partners burial bill, saying, "This bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage."
The bill was inspired by the plight of Mark Goldberg of Connecticut, who waited 4 weeks for the body of his partner of 17 years, Ron Hanby, to be released to him for cremation. After a two week search for concerned family members (there were none), he waited an additional two weeks for the Department of Human Services to get around to releasing the body. Then, the Connecticut cremation society refused to cremate Hanby (because Goldberg had no legal standing to request the action). Finally, with the help of the Massachusetts cremation society, Goldberg was able lay his loved one to rest.
Can you imagine losing your life partner, and then not even being allowed to bury them?
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I just don't get people...
ReplyDeleteThat is so outrageous! When will people just mind their own business and not plan everyone else's life for them. I don't know what the laws in Canada are on this topic but I think we tend to be more liberal up here.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad and so infuriating. I'm still shocked and appalled at how many people don't understand why equality is so important and don't see that gay people aren't treated fairly under the law.
ReplyDeletePowerful clip, thanks for sharing that with us.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so sad, that there's even a question about this. Even in MA where gay marriage is legal, I know my friends worry when they travel out of state, about what would happen if something went wrong with the other, if their marriage would even be recognized...unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteFreedom is a misused, misunderstood word.. People need to read the Constitution, and appreciate how much of it is being abused or ignored by our elected officials..
ReplyDeleteThis is an important message. I saw a film once - I think it was called if these walls could talk. One bit of the story was a couple in the 1960s - two older ladies and one of them died suddenly. Of course the family didn't know the women were a couple - they just thought they were friends. The family swooped in and thoughtlessly sold the house and the woman who was left behind lost everything - her beloved, her home, even many of the items that helped her to cling to her memories.
ReplyDeleteWhen two human beings pledge to honour and stay with each other through the good and the bad, that should be respected. It makes me angry that it still isn't.
It's just unbelievable :(
ReplyDeleteNo, I can't. I love how you bring these issues back to the front of my attention.
ReplyDeleteMarriages were never one man and one woman in the Bible...traditional marriages are business contracts, not a unity of two people in love...this is pure prejudice and it's disgusting.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely unbelievable. What does he mean, 'disturbing trend'?!
ReplyDeleteHuman Dignity. That's all anyone asks.
ReplyDeleteYour title says it all. Why can't we all offer those things to one another.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing about our "free" country - somehow it's a very selective freedom.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a realistic portrayal of this human rights issue.
ReplyDeleteI've come over your blog via Rachel Cotterill's blog and I am so glad I did. I really like your blog and how it reflects on the realities happening around our own lives, that many people ignore or choose not to acknowledge. I work in the field of challenging discrimination in all its ugly forms, but my blog is a place for me to have that bit of separation from the injustices I see in peoples judgements on others and behaviours towards each other..I hope that made sense.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.