Rhode Island Won’t Even Protect Dead Gays

Jim Burroway

November 10th, 2009

Rhode Island Governor Carcieri (R) today vetoed a bill that would add domestic partners to the list of people who are allowed to make funeral arrangements for each other. Citing the qualifying factors for a domestic partnership, Gov. Carcieri said in his veto statement:

A one (1) year time period for any relationship is not a sufficient length of duration to establish a serious, lasting bond between two (2) individuals to supplant the surviving individual over traditional family members relative to the sensitive personal traditions and issues regarding funeral arrangements, burial rights, and disposal of human remains. Many casual relationships last for longer than a year.

True, he has us there. Newt Gingrich’s first casual marriage lasted nineteen years, as did his second known casual relationship. His third casual relationship is nine years and counting, but if his current “wife” expires before their relationship does, Gingrich will be fully empowered to determine the disposal of her human remains.

Gov. Carcieri concluded:

…Finally, this bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred way to approach this issue. If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnerships, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the state of Rhode Island decide.”

Lindoro Almaviva

November 10th, 2009

Another governor that pews the same bull than the others. Well, at least we know that she is not well versed in general law.

John

November 10th, 2009

Ah yes, now I see where the Catholic Church has its attention focused. The “threat” is obviously so much larger in Rhode Island than in Uganda…

Rich

November 10th, 2009

How can someone who couldn’t pass a high school civics course get to be the governor of a state? Has this guy ever heard of ‘representative democracy’? Gee, I could be wrong, but I thought that in a Republic (like the US) the people democratically elected their representatives and they then passed the laws in a legislature. Does he mean we should have a referenda on all issues, like…who’s going to pay to fix the street, or how are we going to pay for schools, who gets to vote, how much to pay the governor..little stuff like that. Do I get to vote on his rights as a citizen?

johnathan

November 10th, 2009

I am so sick and tired of hearing that worn out line “let the people of the state/commonwealth of [____] decide.” No, a$$hole, the representatives were voted into office by the people to make the decisions. They voted for domestic partnerships, civil unions, and/or same-sex marriages. Now, stop using “let the people decide” as your bigot-crutch, and sign the damned thing into law.

David Roberts

November 10th, 2009

Just another ancillary effect of putting civil rights up to a majority vote.

GreenEyedLilo

November 10th, 2009

Who the hell is he to judge what is “casual” and what is not?!?! Particularly since you can marry someone you met this weekend–provided you’re different sexes from each other–and automatically have the legal standing to arrange a funeral?!?!

I just *love* how that term “the people” never, ever seems to include us, too!

No State Senate vote in New York and now this. (Plus the Penguins lost big–again.) Very discouraging 24 hours.

Oh, and Rich, I wish we could!!!

Rob

November 10th, 2009

Carceri (Prison)? A fitting name for such a vile person. He’s gone next year, right?

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