And Politics
Amidst all the planning and excitement surrounding our big day, there is a constant reminder that our marriage will come with no legal protections to help us navigate the shared life we are committing to on our wedding day. The daily reports of the political activity heating up over the "gay marriage debate" both nationally, and in the state of Georgia may not be nightly conversation around the dinner table in your home - but it is in ours, because it very much affects our lives.
As you may or may not be aware - today the so-called Federal Marriage Amendment was voted out of committee in the Senate and will be scheduled for a debate and vote in the full Senate at some point in June. Information about the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting and the gist of the amendment can be found on CNN's website: Link
In other news - two days ago Fulton County Superior Court Judge Constance Russell ruled in a case filed by Lambda Legal (a national LGBT legal advocacy organization) that the anti-gay marriage amendment to the state constitution passed by Georgia voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that prohibits amendments addressing more than one subject. (The amendment both bans same-sex marriage, and states that no other legal arrangements like civil unions or domestic partnerships would be allowed either) Here's a link to the latest AJC article detailing the Governor's and the legislature's panic attack against the "activist" judge's ruling: Link Contrary to the impression some of the recent headlines have given - this does not mean same-sex couples can run out and get marriage licenses while the defenses are down. The state of Georgia does still have a law defining marriage as being between a man and a woman - but for some reason folks seem to have lost faith in laws recently...
So, how does this all affect us? While we are free (for now) to make a public commitment to one another, to pledge our lives in love to one another, our government is spending a lot of time and energy making sure we know the more than 1,000 federal and also numerous state legal benefits and protections of a marriage license are not for us. There is no legal protection ensuring that if one of us were to fall ill, that the other could make medical care decisions for the other, or even visit at the hospital. We will be ineligible to be included on one another's health insurance, and we will not be exempt from taxes on our assets, or our home, should one of us die.
As part of our preparations for our marriage - instead of registering for a marriage certificate, which we are not legally allowed to do in this country, we will be drawing up wills and healthcare directives to take the steps necessary to create some kind of legal protections, although, as has been evidenced time and again - for same sex couples there are no legal guarantees. Link We will also need to take extra legal precautions when we decide to have a child to create protections, that again, have no legal guarantees.
It's likely that a good deal of this "heated political debate" (because that's all it is of course, it's nothing personal) will come to another head this summer before the fall election cycle. The governor of Georgia has called for a special legislative session to convene by August 9 to address the state constitutional amendment if the state supreme court does not take it up first, and as I mentioned before, the Federal "Marriage Amendment" will come to a vote in the Senate sometime in June.
In light of the fact that all this will be taking place, possibly days before our wedding, one measure of support you could show for us, and a lovely gift, would be if you called, or wrote your Senators, and your Georgia State Representatives to let them know you are not in favor of constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage. What kind of message does it send about this country to write discrimination into the constitution, effectively making one demographic permanent second class citizens? It is infuriating and deeply saddening to think that our politicians are using this "issue" as political fodder and weaponry to win votes, when it personally affects the lives of millions of citizens. We hope you will take it personally as well.
As you may or may not be aware - today the so-called Federal Marriage Amendment was voted out of committee in the Senate and will be scheduled for a debate and vote in the full Senate at some point in June. Information about the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting and the gist of the amendment can be found on CNN's website: Link
In other news - two days ago Fulton County Superior Court Judge Constance Russell ruled in a case filed by Lambda Legal (a national LGBT legal advocacy organization) that the anti-gay marriage amendment to the state constitution passed by Georgia voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that prohibits amendments addressing more than one subject. (The amendment both bans same-sex marriage, and states that no other legal arrangements like civil unions or domestic partnerships would be allowed either) Here's a link to the latest AJC article detailing the Governor's and the legislature's panic attack against the "activist" judge's ruling: Link Contrary to the impression some of the recent headlines have given - this does not mean same-sex couples can run out and get marriage licenses while the defenses are down. The state of Georgia does still have a law defining marriage as being between a man and a woman - but for some reason folks seem to have lost faith in laws recently...
So, how does this all affect us? While we are free (for now) to make a public commitment to one another, to pledge our lives in love to one another, our government is spending a lot of time and energy making sure we know the more than 1,000 federal and also numerous state legal benefits and protections of a marriage license are not for us. There is no legal protection ensuring that if one of us were to fall ill, that the other could make medical care decisions for the other, or even visit at the hospital. We will be ineligible to be included on one another's health insurance, and we will not be exempt from taxes on our assets, or our home, should one of us die.
As part of our preparations for our marriage - instead of registering for a marriage certificate, which we are not legally allowed to do in this country, we will be drawing up wills and healthcare directives to take the steps necessary to create some kind of legal protections, although, as has been evidenced time and again - for same sex couples there are no legal guarantees. Link We will also need to take extra legal precautions when we decide to have a child to create protections, that again, have no legal guarantees.
It's likely that a good deal of this "heated political debate" (because that's all it is of course, it's nothing personal) will come to another head this summer before the fall election cycle. The governor of Georgia has called for a special legislative session to convene by August 9 to address the state constitutional amendment if the state supreme court does not take it up first, and as I mentioned before, the Federal "Marriage Amendment" will come to a vote in the Senate sometime in June.
In light of the fact that all this will be taking place, possibly days before our wedding, one measure of support you could show for us, and a lovely gift, would be if you called, or wrote your Senators, and your Georgia State Representatives to let them know you are not in favor of constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage. What kind of message does it send about this country to write discrimination into the constitution, effectively making one demographic permanent second class citizens? It is infuriating and deeply saddening to think that our politicians are using this "issue" as political fodder and weaponry to win votes, when it personally affects the lives of millions of citizens. We hope you will take it personally as well.
posted by Megan | 5/18/2006 03:47:00 PM
1 Comments:
Thinking of you both. Since marriage won't protect you, I had a thought, nothing new I am sure, but what about adoption. Love Monika. I'll be there in mind and spirit, Love you both, Monika
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