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<td width="343" valign="bottom"><p class="date"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="date" --><a href="../features/default.html">02/02/04• Vol.
128, No. 5</a><!-- InstanceEndEditable --></p></td>
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<p><a href="same.jsp">Same-Sex marriage progressive step</a></p>
<p><a href="future.jsp">Future of CSU may rest largely on student
voters</a></p>
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<h1>Same-Sex marriage progressive step</h1>
<p><strong>By Thomas Gaffery</strong></p>
<p><a href="BUSH.jpg"><img src="BUSH_t.jpg" width="150" height="229" border="0" align="right"></a>A little while ago, my boyfriend and I sat down to enjoy dinner and
watch President Bush’s State of the Union Address. During the speech,
we learned that Bush hates us because we are gay. Bush then indicated
that he will fight to stop the movement for same-sex marriage and would
like to be remembered in history as a president who recommended the Constitutional
Amendment process as a way to limit the rights of Americans. Polls following
the State of the Union Address show that a majority of Americans oppose
amending the Constitution.</p>
<p> Bush’s speech echoed the words of his right-wing Christian financiers
and not the opinions of most Americans. Polls show that many Americans
favor gay marriage. Bush speaks of the importance of protecting the religious “sanctity” of
marriage—obviously only respecting the separation of church and
state when it is convenient for his agenda.</p>
<p> Same-sex couples do not want a government-mandated religious marriage
ceremony—we want the same legal protections as heterosexual married
couples. Gay couples encounter difficulties in many everyday legal matters:
hospital visitations, child custody and numerous other issues. The General
Accounting Office reports more than 1,000 specific rights are denied
to same-sex couples. Same-sex couples are denied basic rights such as
filing a joint tax return and collecting social security survivor benefits.
Same-sex couples may not apply for benefits under the Family and Medical
Leave Act. </p>
<p> The actions of Bush and his cohorts do not only hurt gay couples, but
also their families. The 2000 census data reports that more than 1 million
children are being raised by same sex couples. Bush’s actions hurt
these children in numerous socioeconomic and psychological ways. Same-sex
parents must fight numerous expensive legal hurdles in order to obtain
joint adoptions. </p>
<p> Unlike heterosexual parents, same-sex parents are compelled to carry
numerous legal documents with them at all times to prove their adoptive
status. The president has chosen to present same-sex couples in a negative
light, while in the process, leaving children of same-sex couples caught
in the middle of his tirade of hate. </p>
<p> These horrendous inequalities could change with the legalization of
gay marriage.</p>
<p> Since marriage laws are not in place, basic rights are often arbitrarily
disregarded by governmental institutions. Partners are often denied hospital
visitation rights—a particularly cruel policy in a time of emotional
distress. </p>
<p> Each year, numerous cases are reported of gross neglect by police officers
in cases of same-sex domestic violence. Often, police officers make no
arrest and contend the incident was “mutual combat”, in other
situations. Both partners are arrested and then locked in the same holding
cell where the physical and emotional abuse will continue unchecked while
in police custody.</p>
<p> Canada and many European nations have already legalized same-sex marriage.
Data collected from these nations disprove many of the accusations
made by the radical right. </p>
<p> Legalizing same-sex marriage does not encourage homosexuality and does
not lead to more homosexuals—it simply allows people to lead their
lives as they see fit. America is the next frontier for the legalization
of same-sex marriage. It is our civic duty to select and lobby politicians
who will further extend the civil right of marriage to all Americans. </p>
<p> —
This columnist can be reached at collegian@csufresno.edu</p>
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