Gay couples and adoption (Page 8)

I dismiss it because the implication is that Mr. Schiavo had no rights as a spouse and that is simply untrue. He had rights and they were ultimately upheld. Firstly, he had the right to tell the doctors what kind of care to give her, and what to withhold. Secondly, he had the right to represent Terry in court - no small matter. Unfortunately, he had to go through considerable expense and national scorn to have those rights upheld - but he had rights as a spouse. Legal fights are going to happen even when a spouse dies with a will - sometimes people get stupid and are going to drag your butt into court just because they can. None of this is relevant to the simple fact that I can enter into a marriage contract with the man of my choice but Hollis cannot enter into a marriage contract with the woman of her choice.

I understand that you are pointing out that there are alternatives available for some legally contractable issues. My point, and the point of others like Hollis and Runningwoof, is that the burden - and you must concede it is a real burden you and I would not have to bear - is unfair. Even if they had vast resources and energy, all the contracts in the world would still not entitle them to be covered under their spouse's insurance plan unless they were a legal spouse.

And, they shouldn't have to go through all the hurdles that you and I do not have to go through. To suggest that they could have the same rights if they just sat down with a lawyer is misleading and negligent.

I seriously have yet to see a good argument on why we shouldn't allow gay people to get married.  Marriage is a civil matter and a contract.  Being married did not change my relationship it just makes thing easier.  Really how will affect your marriage or your life?  It's been law in Canada for a while that we let people of the same sex get married and our country hasn't come crumbling down.  In fact it's like nothing happened.  Life goes on just as it did for me before only some friends that I care about can choose to get married if they so please.  

My life and that of my religious friends has stayed the same.  No thunder bolts have come crashing down from heaven to smite our immoral actions as a society.  Seriously all you are going to do is make a lot of people a happier and we all know how bad that is.

forget it. 

ASA,

Don't be mad.  So far everyone has kept this pretty civil.  This is a heated topic and has the potential to have tempers flare.  Nobody is trying to attack you (if that is what you are thinking).  I haven't participated much but I'm learning a lot from everybody's contributions.