Comments on: Some Christians THESE Parents Are!

By: pacatrue

pacatrue — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:59:30 +0000

PatHMV, what you say is something I learned as well in my own debates on gay marriage. Hopefully I was not shrill, but I used to take a tact (as a supporter of same sex marriage) related to the roles of government, the various components of the marriage contract, legal equality, etc. None of this seemed to ever really sway anyone. And my last bit was about issues such as this, and that was the first time my debate “opponents” seemed to think I had made a decent point worth considering. As always, us rational beings are most moved by human stories than by technical discriminations.

By: Entropy

Entropy — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:31:48 +0000

Here’s the most important part from the article:

While judges have discretion in awarding guardianship, their decision is guided by state statute, which spells out that guardianship of an incapacitated person should fall to whoever has power of attorney, which is the legal authorization to act on behalf of that person.
If no power of attorney exists, next in line comes the spouse, then an adult child, then a parent and still more options related to marriage or blood. There is no specific right for gay partners.

Even my wife and I have POA’s set up for various situations, living wills, current wills etc. It’s sad what the parents are doing, but it’s even sadder it was preventable.

By: domajot

domajot — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:06:39 +0000

Parents like these being a reality to reckon with, this story should be a warning to gay couples about how important it is to arm oneself with wills, powers of attorney and living wills in order to geive themselves and their partners a fighting chance in critical circumstances.

It’s also a good idea for hereto couples as erll as single people.. Anyone’s family can become problematic when it counts most.

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:11:03 +0000

Culture, religon, and law. This post has it all. If I were and older(or even younger) gay couple I would definitely have made legal provisions for this circumstance. And if I were the disapproving parent of a gay man I’d try and not be so utterly disrespectful of my successful child’s obvious wishes.

By: PatHMV

PatHMV — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:43:47 +0000

This is indeed a tragedy, and an unjust situation. However, believing that does not compel one to politically favor “gay marriage.” There are many steps short of full-blown marriage which could be taken, both within the law and by private agreement between the parties, to address many of these practical problems.

I agree with pacatrue, though, that these stories are an important component of the debate, and as a tactical matter, they will resonate with the public much more readily than the shrill denunciations which are more often heard in that debate.

By: pacatrue

pacatrue — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:27:01 +0000

I think such stories are important in the gay marriage debate. On the no-legal-marriage side, proponents often talk about the undefined but theoretically possible problems caused by same sex marriage, while either ignoring or being competely unaware that without marriage, there are problems right now. Not allowing marriage between same sex couples is causing harm that is neither undefined nor just theoretically possible already, today.

By: Lynx

Lynx — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:18:45 +0000

That anybody could see that scenario as right and good is totally unbelievable to me.

That someone would have so little respect for their son as to tear him away from the partner he chose when he is too weak to defend himself is sickening to me.

In my book those parents are no better than the ones who marry their teenage daughters to men they have never met without consulting them.