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On Tue, 23 Mar 2004, Phil Fuehrer wrote: > 2) Is the issue based on loving, committed > relationships � fairness? If that is the criterion, > then can we deny the old, widowed sisters, living > together for going on 30 years the option of a civil > union, or the gay couple their due or that throwback > hippie commune that�s in a loving/committed > multi-something relationship their day in front of a > Justice of the Peace? Being a usual fan of Phil's, I'll point out that this hits the nail squarely on the head as far as I'm concerned. I still don't know why the Hell government is in the marriage business in the first place. How you want to define the relationships that are part of your daily lives should be between the consenting adults and whatever church, synagogue, mosque, or rotary club they wish to stand up and proclaim them. Basically, this comes down to a package of bennies that we have confirred upon "married" people. Why the Hell heal care comes from the company you work for in the first place plain mystifies me, so the need to have the one exact kind of relationship that makes that bennie transferable to another adult mystifies me more. The whole setup is plain stupid in the first place, so we have more to work on than just the right to bennies. Pensions? Why you can't name one (1) adult who has the right to continue said pension, regardless of status, is beyond me. Why some wills of homosexuals who have died have been heavily contested in probate is beyond me as well. Taxes? A total joke, since people who decide to get married suddenly pay more in most cases than if they just live together. Higher taxes based on family type? Totally bizarre. The best solution is the simplest: Untie the Gordian Knot and let those ties that bind us be defined as we see fit. Write the laws that allow people to confir their rights in a way that fits their lives. So there. Erik Hare [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.comcast.net/~wabbitoid/ Irvine Park, West End, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, North America, Earth Fine Amish furniture, cedar chests, and crafts http://www.harmonycedar.com _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
