w00t w00t booyah

Okay, two people of the same gender want to marry. What's the problem with this?

Or better question - WHY would they want to? I mean, that's got some responsiblities and standards association with it. Who would want them, if you didn't need them?

You hear the word 'love' used here. A lot. Let's take another look at this.

The love is already there. Given. I hear people want respect. Okay - well, the people who know you or give a damn, that's also a given. Guy on the street doesn't respect me any more or less - only if I press, do we really have something even to discuss on the matter, neh?

When we really have something to discuss. Ah. There we go.

It's not about the sex. Nobody is getting married to have it, unless the traditional reasoning one expects (sex, done right in heterosexual relations, makes more people and that's the original reason for marriage, folks - ownership of your kids and what made 'em) is in play, and even that doesn't do more than create a mental stutter. So, put that aside, it's already going on, as the saying goes.

Kids are also not the reason, obviously. You can adopt if you can't make 'em yourself, and either option is open to the single person. So that's not it, is it?

So what's it all about?

The ability to designate your next of kin.

Marriage does one thing that in every other case, only biology can do. It makes your spouse your nearest next-of-kin - replacing your parents, siblings and any other family member. Period. You have a spouse, you can tell the spouse's family to go pound - anytime you want to. You HAVE that authority, no questions asked - or can be asked. For life.

By your choice. You know the old saying, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your family?

Marriage is the only exception to that rule. Yes, you can pick your family - in this one case, singular. You also stand in front of the most reasonable, respected authority you ALSO decide is - and promise not to change your mind about it, ever. That, in a nutshell, is the whole ball of wax.

(I think a lot of people miss this point, because in every other 'family link' - it's incest if you do the same things you do with your spouse, neh?)

I mean, if you just want to get married to be clear that I'M DOING SO AND SO FOR LIFE - that would be one thing.

It's not - this has a much longer view, and nobody is making this clear enough or enough of a talking point.

We're not talking about beginnings here. We're talking about endings. And who gets to make the decisions surrounding them.

You hear about people being turned away from deathbeds because 'they're not kin.' It goes beyond that.

"My DNA donors don't deserve to even know if I'm alive or dead." Right now, unless you marry hetero, they will - because the law will need to find them upon your demise to make arrangements, funeral and otherwise...if you have a will or no. They'll find them, notify them and so on - and if they want to toss your will into probate...guess what. THEY CAN. Unless they find someone? You might end up cremated and stored - even if you have a partner willing to take over...because that person is NOT next of kin, the search can continue until it is completely exhausted. Grand-nephew of a second cousin. No, I'm not kidding.

Marry hetero, that person just inherits the lot and doesn't have to tell anyone. And it's scary how just matter of fact that is, trust me - firsthand experience speaking here.

Have an advanced directive? Hope it's in the hands of a blood relative or marry hetero - because it may take a bit for the legalese to catch up with the people on the floor if you're going to be given 'heroic measures' in case of something Really Bad like a persistent vegetative state. May even take a court order to enforce, regardless. Think about the time.

And when you really just need to know what's going on? Yeah, that.

I've also got some first-hand on this one, too. One time Cliff was taken into the emergency room, Joyce brought him in - and the ER staff just assumed they were the married couple (hey, one of each and she knew as much as he did about what ailed him....) so when I called and identified myself...they didn't believe me, and wouldn't tell me anything. It took an hour to sort out...and I was NOT amused (and neither was Joyce or Cliff, even if we laughed about it later). ER visit - not doctor's office. Assumptions made.

Not funny.

So when you're getting all huffy about those fags wanting to kiss in public, tuck this away somewhere (and people getting ready to put the next ballot initiative up there, you too) - it's not about the sex. Either one. Or what goes into slot B.

It's allowing people to decide who their family is - reducing the load on government and society at large by making it clear who's got the responsiblity and not tossing the load on all of us by default. People WANT this responsbility. I say, give it to the people who want the job, frankly.

And congratulations on setting a precedent I doubt you considered.

51% of any voter turnout could do any number of things now.

Like making Spanish the primary language for everything.

Or not allowing religious organizations to retain non-profit status. Even any recognition as a charitable organization, period.

Maybe even not allowing your faith at all. What else could you have elimated? Only takes a vote - 51% of people registered who show up. Not who live here. That SHOW UP. (Work a poll for an election - you'd be scared witless right now by that alone.)

Got nothing to do with the horizontal bop, folks.

Congratulations. Instead of fixing what's broken, more money is going to be spent breaking something even further.

Dumb as dead cats. And you know which ones those are.

Okay, two people of the same gender want to marry. What's the problem with this?

Or better question - WHY would they want to? I mean, that's got some responsiblities and standards association with it. Who would want them, if you didn't need them?

You hear the word 'love' used here. A lot. Let's take another look at this.

The love is already there. Given. I hear people want respect. Okay - well, the people who know you or give a damn, that's also a given. Guy on the street doesn't respect me any more or less - only if I press, do we really have something even to discuss on the matter, neh?

When we really have something to discuss. Ah. There we go.

It's not about the sex. Nobody is getting married to have it, unless the traditional reasoning one expects (sex, done right in heterosexual relations, makes more people and that's the original reason for marriage, folks - ownership of your kids and what made 'em) is in play, and even that doesn't do more than create a mental stutter. So, put that aside, it's already going on, as the saying goes.

Kids are also not the reason, obviously. You can adopt if you can't make 'em yourself, and either option is open to the single person. So that's not it, is it?

So what's it all about?

The ability to designate your next of kin.

Marriage does one thing that in every other case, only biology can do. It makes your spouse your nearest next-of-kin - replacing your parents, siblings and any other family member. Period. You have a spouse, you can tell the spouse's family to go pound - anytime you want to. You HAVE that authority, no questions asked - or can be asked. For life.

By your choice. You know the old saying, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your family?

Marriage is the only exception to that rule. Yes, you can pick your family - in this one case, singular. You also stand in front of the most reasonable, respected authority you ALSO decide is - and promise not to change your mind about it, ever. That, in a nutshell, is the whole ball of wax.

(I think a lot of people miss this point, because in every other 'family link' - it's incest if you do the same things you do with your spouse, neh?)

I mean, if you just want to get married to be clear that I'M DOING SO AND SO FOR LIFE - that would be one thing.

It's not - this has a much longer view, and nobody is making this clear enough or enough of a talking point.

We're not talking about beginnings here. We're talking about endings. And who gets to make the decisions surrounding them.

You hear about people being turned away from deathbeds because 'they're not kin.' It goes beyond that.

"My DNA donors don't deserve to even know if I'm alive or dead." Right now, unless you marry hetero, they will - because the law will need to find them upon your demise to make arrangements, funeral and otherwise...if you have a will or no. They'll find them, notify them and so on - and if they want to toss your will into probate...guess what. THEY CAN. Unless they find someone? You might end up cremated and stored - even if you have a partner willing to take over...because that person is NOT next of kin, the search can continue until it is completely exhausted. Grand-nephew of a second cousin. No, I'm not kidding.

Marry hetero, that person just inherits the lot and doesn't have to tell anyone. And it's scary how just matter of fact that is, trust me - firsthand experience speaking here.

Have an advanced directive? Hope it's in the hands of a blood relative or marry hetero - because it may take a bit for the legalese to catch up with the people on the floor if you're going to be given 'heroic measures' in case of something Really Bad like a persistent vegetative state. May even take a court order to enforce, regardless. Think about the time.

And when you really just need to know what's going on? Yeah, that.

I've also got some first-hand on this one, too. One time Cliff was taken into the emergency room, Joyce brought him in - and the ER staff just assumed they were the married couple (hey, one of each and she knew as much as he did about what ailed him....) so when I called and identified myself...they didn't believe me, and wouldn't tell me anything. It took an hour to sort out...and I was NOT amused (and neither was Joyce or Cliff, even if we laughed about it later). ER visit - not doctor's office. Assumptions made.

Not funny.

So when you're getting all huffy about those fags wanting to kiss in public, tuck this away somewhere (and people getting ready to put the next ballot initiative up there, you too) - it's not about the sex. Either one. Or what goes into slot B.

It's allowing people to decide who their family is - reducing the load on government and society at large by making it clear who's got the responsiblity and not tossing the load on all of us by default. People WANT this responsbility. I say, give it to the people who want the job, frankly.

And congratulations on setting a precedent I doubt you considered.

51% of any voter turnout could do any number of things now.

Like making Spanish the primary language for everything.

Or not allowing religious organizations to retain non-profit status. Even any recognition as a charitable organization, period.

Maybe even not allowing your faith at all. What else could you have elimated? Only takes a vote - 51% of people registered who show up. Not who live here. That SHOW UP. (Work a poll for an election - you'd be scared witless right now by that alone.)

Got nothing to do with the horizontal bop, folks.

Congratulations. Instead of fixing what's broken, more money is going to be spent breaking something even further.

Dumb as dead cats. And you know which ones those are.