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Loading ...Gay marriage stalls as RI lawmakers wrap up
06.29.2009 9:47am EDT
(Providence, R.I) Rhode Island seems almost certain to remain the only New England state that does not recognize gay marriage after measures legalizing same-sex unions stalled just before the part-time General Assembly ended the bulk of its annual work.
None of the bills legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island advanced to a floor vote this session, continuing a trend begun in 1997.The lack of Statehouse action on gay unions means that Rhode Island is unlikely to allow gay marriage anytime soon, despite decisions this year by lawmakers in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont joined Connecticut and Massachusetts in legalizing gay marriage.
“I was hoping the momentum that was going around New England and the support we had in the House would get enough representatives to ask for it,” said Rep. Frank Ferri, D-Warwick, who is gay and sponsored same-sex marriage legislation. He and his partner wed in Canada.
Equally disappointed were gay marriage opponents, who wanted voters to be able to decide whether the state constitution should be changed to ban gay marriage.
“I think that if you put it to the voters on a statewide basis, gay marriage would fail,” said Rep. Jon Brien, D-Woonsocket.
A poll released by Brown University last month showed 60 percent of registered Rhode Island voters would support a law allowing gay couples to marry, and 75 would support a law allowing civil unions. Still, Rhode Island is the most heavily Roman Catholic state in the country. Catholic leaders are deeply opposed to same-sex unions and several key state officeholders are Catholic.
Murphy and Paiva-Weed, both Democrats and Catholics, oppose same-sex marriage, while Republican Gov. Don Carcieri, also a Catholic, would be nearly certain to veto gay marriage legislation should it arrive on his desk.
State lawmakers normally end their session at the end of June. But after a marathon week of late-night deal making, House Speaker William Murphy, D-West Warwick, decided that House lawmakers will return at least one day in July and perhaps in the fall to address remaining bills and monitor the state’s bleak finances. The state Senate planned to meet this week, although an exact day was not immediately set.
A bill that would allow gay men and women to make funeral arrangements for their late partners is pending.
Ferri views that funeral planning bill as a small step forward.
“It’s a recognition of our relationships,” Ferri said. “It’s a recognition that we do need protection.”
So often I hear the same old tiresome argument, as if it were some sort of egalitarian compromise, that “…the issue (same-sex marriage equality) should be left up to the states to decide”. Yes, what a noble idea. And we all know how many states currently get to decide other such heady issues regarding racial segregation and interracial marriage and gender discrimination. Don’t we?
Uh, sorry, that boat has already sailed.
Tragically, we do currently have an apartheid system for gay couples though (called Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships, etc) which basically serves the same purpose as segregation did for Blacks. But, thankfully, that degrading distinction is on its way out! President Obama seems to have forgotten his own people’s struggle with segregation when he suggested that millions of GLBT Americans should joyfully embrace that odious concept as a viable alternative to marriage. Shame on him.
Nevertheless, you mustn’t forget, there are tens of thousands of same-sex couples who are already legally married in the United States. Which begs the question: How can tens of thousands of adult, non-related, human beings be married in seven states (which includes the eighteen thousand still legally married in California) and yet not be married when they cross state boundaries into other states? To not see the legal parallels to Loving -vs- Virginia is shortsighted to say the least.
(for the rest of the article, click on the link below)
http://rainfish2000.newsvine.com/_news/2009/06/25/2967312-just-exactly-how-much-does-the-equality-of-your-glbt-children-and-brothers-and-sisters-cost-you
Why is it that catholic politicians almost always have to vote according to their religious beliefs? Why should religion be allowed a role in politics and legislation? I don’t get it. It proves one thing, there really isn’t a separation of church and state, at least no in practice.
How would these people like it if we decided to call for a ban on tax-exempt status of all religious cults and banning religious marriage from having access to federal or state benefits? Maybe these people need a dose of their own medicine and find out first hand what hate legislation feels like.
This is not forever for RI. There are currently several pro marriage equality candidates including possibly the openly gay mayor of the capital city of RI, Providence. Eyeing the governnor’s position that antigay Gov. Carcieri will have to give up in 2011 due to RI’s term limits. Gays should be able to marry in RI after he is gone by 2012 at the latest.
Things can change anywhere in a couple years these days. Delaware is proof of change.
Two of the worst DE legislators have died and the day after one of them died (Thurman Adams who killed gay bill after gay bill with the “desk drawer veto” while alive)a very important gay rights bill that languished for 11 years passed.
In just this month alone in DE, about 4 or so pro gay bills passed into law there.
Gay foe Robert Venables (whose area includes the popular and gay-friendly ocean resort town of Rehoboth Beach) failed to get his marriage ban entered into the Delaware Charter. And a DE gay-rights activist described him as becoming marginalized. Said the antigay “Dixiecrats” are collapsing in the DE legislature after 2 or so died and this guy Venables is losing his ability to “influence life” in an antigay status quo in DE.
All of this could speed the day toward DE civil unions. And DE’s gov Markell is progay.
The problem I have with Obama, Biden and others is that they believe civil unions are about equality, “true” equality. Has Obama learned nothing of the Warren court decision that decided “separate is not equal, giving his people full civil rights? How can he say that legal segregation in the form of civil unions at the federal level are equal? Its clear what this is about….religion is in the mix! Can we really believe that separation of church and state exists? I’m beginning to wonder. I happen to be an atheist but I don’t try to shove my beliefs down others’ throats, so why should the religious inclined expect their beliefs to be imposed on the rest of us?
As a Rhode Island resident, I am completely disgusted with this government. They have enough time to pass a law to change the name of the state, yet no time to pass gay rights bills as well as many, many other important laws. The Democrats are rife with corruption because they know that for the most part, as long as they have a D next to their names they’ll be re-elected.
Except for the position of governor (which is too important to vote just based on party), Rhode Islanders just don’t elect Republicans to state-wide or national office, leaving us with a very corrupt, inefficient one-party system. We NEED a second party to overthrow the Democrats. Why the Green Party doesn’t get more involved here I don’t know. Rhode Islanders hate their politicians but they hate the Republicans even more. If the Green Party ran an aggressive campaign here instead of supporting hopeless Presidential candidates, they would make great strides here, mark my words.
HEY RHODE ISLAND !! STICK IT !!NO VISIT TO YOUR STATE AND NO GAY DOLLARS FOR YOU. WHY NOT TAX THE CHURCH IN YOUR STATE SINCE THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO ANYWAY-TOO CHICKEN ? AFRAID OF THE CHURCH?GROW SOME BALLS , RHODE ISLAND, AND GET WITH THE PROGRAM. DISCRIMINATION IS WRONG AND SO ARE YOU !!
Typical Rhode Island!!!!! The lawmakers in Rhode Island are behind-the-times and such homophobic cunts.
Rhode Island is the ONLY state in New England NOT to provide same-sex marriage.
However having said that remember Rhode Island just like New York DOES recognises same-sex marriages form abroard!!!!!
A very interesting fact:
New York, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island DO NOT define marriage is the Consitution and statutes – so the situation is neutral (meaning it is not illegal and it is not legal).