NO ON MICHIGAN AMENDMENT: Colleen Pobur

...The overriding purpose of the amendment is to ban gay marriage or civil unions, but it actually reaches much farther than that by jeopardizing existing domestic partner benefits, especially at universities and in city government. Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner benefits today. Many union contracts offer these benefits to same-sex and opposite-sex couples who are not married.

This proposal could wipe out those existing, widely accepted rights, depriving children and families of health care and other vital, basic needs. ...

The supporters of this proposal are trying to legislate love and prohibit anyone but a married man and woman from enjoying legal rights that exist for them today. If two people love each other and are committed, why should anyone attempt to diminish that? ...

My gay and lesbian friends must jump through an amazing number of hoops just to carry out their everyday lives. Two of my closest friends went on a two-day trip recently. As they finished packing, one partner asked the other, "Did you pack the domestic partner agreements and the powers of attorney?" If they had not done so and one of them had been injured or sick, his partner of 10 years could not have made medical decisions for him. We straight people never give this a second thought. Can you imagine the outrage you would feel if you were unable to speak for your spouse because you were Catholic or black? This discrimination is no different.

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posted by Eve at 7:44 PM | Link |

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