Washington's Domestic Partnership Law in Effect
Couples lined up this morning to take advantage of Washington state's new Domestic Partnership law which affords roughly twelve benefits to same-sex couples. These rights, benefits and responsibilities include things like: hospital visitation, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations, and the ability to inherit in the absence of a will.
Equal Rights Washington makes no claim that Washington's Domestic Partnerships are just a band-aid and no replacement for the hundreds of rights, responsibilities and protections that come with marriage.
Some 85 couples were registered after the first hour Monday, with another 50 pairs standing in a line that wrapped around the front of the secretary of state's office in downtown Olympia.
One small positive step forward for society.
Of course you then have the whackos...
Joseph Fuiten, a Bothell pastor who leads the conservative group Positive Christian Agenda, called the partnership registry "social experimentation."
"The state of Washington is signaling to our children that domestic partnerships are nearly as good as marriage," Fuiten said in a statement. "No research was done by the Legislature to prove that no harm will come to society as a result of this action."
To Mr. Fuiten I say this. First, the State of Washington is not in any way indicating that Domestic Partnerships are 'nearly as good as marriage'. As I said above these Domestic Partnerships offer ABOUT A DOZEN vital rights and responsibilities--far from the hundreds afforded to Mr. Fuiten and his wife.
If "social experimentation" as Mr. Fuiten calls it are things like being able to visit your partner in the hospital or the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations then I question his morals as a human being and as a pastor. These socially conservative extremists prove once and again that they do not even realize the worth of their marriage and that is a sad fact.
How about this...
What is Mr. Fuiten's child was in desperate need of an organ transplant, days away from death? Would he then have the same issue with committed gay couples being able to make choices about their partner's organs after death? Think about that Mr. Fuiten.
Labels: domestic partnership, gay rights, legislature, washington
This entry was posted
on Monday, July 23, 2007 at 12:07 PM.
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ByWashington's domestic partnership legislation is essentially reciprical benefits. It also covers straight people over 62. Our legislation is much more far reaching. Of course, we'll probably have to go through an initative process. I don't know, is it better to fight for something with tooth or make it as benign as possible?
By
This is correct, Oregon's new Domestic Partnership law is more comprehensive than the twelve or so rights and responsibilities that come with Washington's Domestic Partnership law--Oregon's is more like California's.
One other thing that is important to note is that unlike Oregon, Washington residents cannot send a constitutional amendment to the ballot to write discrimination into the constitution by a majority vote. This must come from the Washington legislature and that will never happen.
Oregon however is a direct democracy and voters passed Measure 36 in 2004. This puts Oregon in a much different place and as I said before, Oregon is doing what it can within the boundaries of Measure 36. Oregon's Domestic Partnerships are a far cry from marriage, although they will help to ensure that family can have the resources to protect each other in times of crisis.
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