Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri has never hid his distaste for Gay Marriage.But now he has taken his disinclination towards Gays by veto-ing same-sex funeral planning.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Angering gay rights supporters, Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri Tuesday vetoed a bill that would give same-sex couples the right to plan the funerals of their deceased partners.
Calling the bill a "disturbing trend" toward the erosion of heterosexual marriage, Carcieri said the decision should be left up to the voters.
"If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnership, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the State of Rhode Island decide," Carcieri said in a letter to lawmakers.
The bill would require couples to be in a relationship for at least one year and meet other criteria, such as owning property together.
In his veto message, Carcieri said some of the guidelines in the bill were vague.
The governor's move is another blow to gay-rights supporters in the state. Rhode Island is one of the only states in New England that does not recognize some form of same-sex marriage.
"It is absolutely unconscionable that Gov. Carcieri would step in the middle of people being able to take care of their loved ones at such a sorrowful time," said Kathy Kushnir, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, which advocates for gay marriage. "Why would he make it more difficult? I just don't get it."
"It is extremely unfortunate the governor continues to believe certain Rhode Islanders should be afforded more civil rights than others," said state Rept. Frank G. Ferri of Warwick. "This legislation was about simple human dignity and once again the governor feels comfortable denying certain Rhode Islanders equality based on his own personal religious beliefs." Link
Funeral arrangements - this is the new topic.
In any gay relationship, a funeral arrangement cannot be left to the surviving partner! According to Carcieri, burial rights of any gay independent adult belongs to "traditional family members". Death of a loved one, who is not legally married can only be managed by his or her family (no gay partners allowed). Such vile hate!
Carcieri cited at least two other reasons for his veto.
As written, he said the bill would allow the decisions of a "partner'' of a year to take precedence over "traditional family members,'' and he believes a "one year time period is not a sufficient duration to establish a serious bond between two individuals...[relative to] sensitive personal traditions and issues regarding funeral arrangements, burial rights and disposal of human remains.''
Carcieri said he was also uncertain "how it would be ascertained in many circumstances whether [a couple] had been in a relationship for year'' since there is "no official or recognized form'' of domestic partnership agreement in Rhode Island. He called this proviso "vague and ill-defined.''
Hateful Ass Christian!
One Year??!!
Yet, a heterosexual marriage of, say 24 hours, or a marriage of convenience has more legal rights than Gay couples!
He is so full of it and he uses the same rhetoric: "This bill represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion of the principles surrounding traditional marriage".
How quickly Christians like him forget that the "erosion" of traditional marriage has already been accomplished by heterosexual marriages. I like to see Conservative Politicians attack a real erosion: DIVORCE! and see how far they will be able to accomplish (definitly not far).
Thank God for Term Limits!
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there is something in the governor\'s closet you just wait and see.
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