The Demand for SSM/Larry Kramer

[In today's NYT. Maggie]

". . .To the consternation of Jeffrey S. Trachtman, co-counsel with Lambda Legal on Hernandez v. Robles, one of the gay marriage cases now before the Court of Appeals, and Norman C. Simon, a gay associate working on the case, Larry Kramer is not their biggest advocate. His ambivalence is surprising for someone who has been portrayed by detractors as the gay Jerry Falwell, hectoring gay men to "grow up" and repent their hedonistic ways.

At the moment, he says, he is interested in marriage only to take advantage of federal estate tax laws, which the piecemeal, state-by-state approach to gay marriage will do nothing about. "I want to get married if it means the U.S. government will allow me to pass along my estate, which is not inconsiderable, to David," he said, referring to his partner, David Webster, an architect. They have been together for 15 years.

What about marriage as a publicly sanctioned declaration of love? Mr. Simon asks.

His parents' strained marriage was hardly the model of a loving relationship, Larry says. 'Why are we perpetuating such a terrible thing?' he said of the institution of marriage. 'I'm amazed by how little support for gay marriage comes from gay people.'. . . ."
posted by maggie at 8:42 AM | Link |

1 Comments:

At 6/28/2006 2:51 PM, Philip said...

It is important that we recall, when speaking of liberal thinking, that every issue is an absolute relative to itself, and two arguments or ideas from separate issues must not be considered together. Example:

1)"What about marriage as a publicly sanctioned declaration of love? Mr. Simon asks."

2)"replacing Mother's Day and Father's Day celebrations with a "Person You Love" Day. . .

 

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