Gay Marriage Support

How’s everybody doing out there?

Sum-sum-summertime. Yours truly was enjoying big bad Burlington this Saturday. And the town, er, the city was jumping. From African refugees to French Canadian tourists to the usual suspects including politicians. And we finally ran into someone feeling upbeat about the Democrats who run the Statehouse appointing a “gay marriage” study commission.

And that someone is freshman State Rep. Rachel Weston (D-Burlington), pictured on the left with boyfriend Nels in the middle and sister Erica Weston, a pre-med student visiting from Cambridge, Mass. on the right. Rep. Weston provides a fresh, upbeat perspective on the issue. Her district includes downtown and a chunk of the Old North End.

Weston was born in Hampden, Massachusetts in 1981, almost four months after Bernie Sanders was sworn in as Mayor of Burlington. She picked up her BA in anthropology in 2003 at U. Mass. Amherst and a Masters in Public Administration at UVM in 2006.

Bumped into her at the Farmers' Market in City Hall Park. Asked if she had gotten a heads-up from the Democratic leadership about Wednesday’s announcement of a Shumlin/Symington-appointed "Blue-Ribbon Commission" to hold public hearings on gay marriage, the lawmaker said she had not. Still, Rep. Weston is clearly an enthusiastic supporter of gay-marriage legislation.

“I think it’s great,” said the freshman in the House. “I think a majority of Vermonters support this,” she said. The Burlington rep called changing/dropping the state’s civil-union statute and granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples “doing the right thing.”

Under the current, landmark Vermont civil unions law adopted in 2000, said Rep. Weston, same-sex couples who have civil unions "do not have full marriage rights.”

Really?

CHAPTER 23. CIVIL UNIONS

§ 1204. Benefits, protections and responsibilities of parties to a civil union

(a) Parties to a civil union shall have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law, whether they derive from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage.

(b) A party to a civil union shall be included in any definition or use of the terms "spouse," "family," "immediate family," "dependent," "next of kin," and other terms that denote the spousal relationship, as those terms are used throughout the law.

(c) Parties to a civil union shall be responsible for the support of one another to the same degree and in the same manner as prescribed under law for married persons.

(d) The law of domestic relations, including annulment, separation and divorce, child custody and support, and property division and maintenance shall apply to parties to a civil union.

Interesting, eh?

Check out the entire statute here.

Comments

[terje]

Peter, are you really trying to say that just because the law says they are equal, that it means that civil unions are really equal to marriage?

Sure, just like separate water fountains and schools and seats at the back of the bus were equal...

Don't get me wrong, the civil union law is a huge huge step forward -- but it does not bring along all of the benefits of marriage. Married (heterosexual) couple don't have to pay taxes on their spouse's health benefits if provided by employers. Trying to collect social security survivor benefits as same sex civil union partner? Sorry, out of luck. A straight marriage qualifies an American spouse to bring a foreign partner into the country as a legal immigrant, but a same sex binational couple doesn't have that right.

The list goes on and on... surely many of the benefits are those relating to federal law (rather than state), but until more states take the step of adopting full scale marriage rights for all, the two tiered approach to civil union/ civil marriage will continue unchallenged. Vermont can and should help lead the way.

It is fine to have a strategic discussion about the best way/time to advance marriage equality, but that's not the same as pretending that civil unions = marriage. In this millenium, separate but equal won't cut it.

[Sir Winston Thriller]

The only TANGIBLE benefit of changing the CU status to MARRIED would be the reciprocity you would enjoy if you moved to Canada, or Massachusetts, or another jurisdiction that recognized same-sex marriage. Federal recognition would have to come from either a court ruling or an explicit change to the Defense of Marriage Act.

Even if all fifty states recognize sam-sex marriage, the Federal Government must change its laws in order for us to receive federal benefits.

Despite all that, I don't think it will be as difficult as some think to change Vermont's current situation. Look--it's ben seven years since Civil Unions became legal. The family hasn't withered away, marriage isn't inthe dumpster, God hasn't destroyed Vermont. So all we're left with is a religious objection. Fine--your church doesn't have to officiate at ceremonies. This will pass, with a lot of noise and heat, but it will pass.

[El Guapo's Ghost]

Why is this an issue? We have bigger fish to fry like getting to know Erica better.

[vermonter]

Weston was wrong. Freyne was right. The law says what it says. Not surprising at all that a hippie freshman Progressive wannabe kid from Burlington who's barely old enough to drive simply repeats the feel-good talk that she hears. What's concerning is that this kid actually has a vote on making laws.

[sandy ward]

Trashing this woman because she does not fit your white, middle aged male republican mold, will result in helping us to acheive our goals. In fact , we'll call it the 'republican factor'...the ability to unite others. Now, go join the white ribbon feel good campaign and tell your friends about it.

[vermonter]

Blah, blah, blah. Weston was wrong. Freyne was right.

[Brattlerouser]

> Not surprising at all that a hippie freshman Progressive wannabe kid from Burlington who's barely old enough to drive simply repeats the feel-good talk that she hears. What's concerning is that this kid actually has a vote on making laws.

Sandy is a guy who writes stuff like this, even worth responding to?

[bigbadbrad]

Actually Sandy, The Evangelicals use this sort of activity by the Far left to mobilize their base! That's part of our problem. Also, Trashing someone who disagrees with the "white republican" smacks of elitist bullshit of the highest order. What does being white have anything to do with anything? That's the kind of garbage someone pulls when you don't fall in lockstep line with their social engineering. Oh, You're a bigoted white reactionary. I'm so sick of people pulling this nonsense. I'm a white, dyed in the wool left of center dem and I am totally disgusted by this pandering and namecalling. I for one am sick of appologizing to people for being white or feeling that the needs of the whole outway fermenting this devisive, narrow agenda. The few bomb throwers that helped make certain that we had far right domination in Washington in 2000 will invariably help enemies of Progressive governance in 2008. The GOP in on the ropes, you guys are the ones giving their far right base ammunition, not us. Thanking you in advance for helping to elect Fred Thompson, a republican congress and insuring that the next two supreme court nominiees or conservative bombthrowers. You guys just never learn!

[bigbadbrad]

Oh, I almost don't forget straight, too. Yes, The unrepentant white, straight man. The root of all evil, right!
Gosh, I feel so dirty. Let's get down on bended knee and beg for forgiveness.
"Oh,Lord, forgive my shortcomings, I can't help it, I'm white, straight and male. Oh, this damnedable fate!"

[sandy ward]

BBB, take a good look at the republican pres line up...all white middle-aged males.

Your tired of apologizing for being white? Start a support group sounds like you need one.

I hope a third party does fuck up your elections, democrat.

[bigbadbrad]

Wow! I rest my case, folks. There you have it! From God's lips to my ears. "out, out damn spot!"
I'm sure you'll be dancing in the streets when the far right sets this country back another 20 years, Sandy.
Support groups are for touchie-feelie jerk-offs like you.

[bigbadbrad]

Actually, Vermonter I most protest. This young lady is not "from Burlington."

[sandy ward]

My vote for Nader worked pretty well the last time, didn't it? If the dems don't want to include us, fine, stop crying at our choice to group and work for ourselves and/or against you.

By the way, I am not a faith based believer, sure you're not a republican?

[bigbadbrad]

Who's not including you, you want to cut to the front of the line! Thanks for selling out the rest of us. Why? because you didn't get your way! Please, stop throwing a fit on the floor like a child, take your ball and bat and go home, the adults want to talk about important matters like making ends met and paying their property taxes. Disparage religious belivers at your own peril, those folks are no joke. thanks alot for playing right into their hands (again!). I guess Your right, I'm not enough enough of a sh#t talking bomb thrower to be a dem anymore. thanks for setting me straight (pun intended).

[sandy ward]

No one is preventing you from presenting your issues. Don't hid behind me because you're afraid of the God believers, be that white male you're so proud/ashamed of and stand on your own two feet.

Robert Sand for Governor!!!

[bigbadbrad]

Again, you're the one invoking race and gender, not me. I won't dream of hiding behind you. Your only intersested in you narrow agenda, the rest of us be damned. After you've sold us out again and we have to waste 4 to 8 more years on reactionary GOP leadership, don't be offended when the rest of us giggle when you ask for help.

Yeah, smoke up Sandy. Should have known better than to take anything you say seriously.

[bigbadbrad]

Actually, while I find their world view very troubling, I'm not all that afraid of those Straight, White republican "God Believers", but you propably should be. You willingness to burn bridges may come back to haunt you more than your militancy allows you to admit. Sorry, like alot of open-minded folks, I'm not willing to fall on another gerenade over this topic.

[Pinabin]

Wow! You guys are really riled about this, aren't you?

[bigbadbrad]

No, not really. Envokings someone's skin tone because they don't agree with you is just passè. It is irrelevent.

[vermonter]

Hear, hear, Brad. By the way, I would take issue with Tokin' Sandy's claim that she's not religious. She displays a very religious attitude toward marijuana. Other people's religions are to be ridiculed, but hers is good? I'm not religious myself, but I think Sandy's position borders on the hypocritical.

[sandy ward]

Apparently, skin tone and gender has always been relevent in the wannabe republican pres line-up. We disagree, imagine that.

[bigbadbrad]

Chortle

[sandy ward]

Ah, Vermonter, where have you been? Why am I such a threat to you and your call name friends? This little pot smoker has got you on the run. Clean up your mess.

[bigbadbrad]

"call name"? You mean like "white republican". In comparision to the rest of the country, Vermont has always been a place of relative tolerance. Used to be that "republican" wasn't such a dirty word 'round these parts.

[sandy ward]

No, call name friends as in you and Vermonter being butt buddies, BBB.

Republican Gov Richard Snelling brought us the first Therapeudic Use of Cannabis statute...I want to say the statute became effective 1981, but not sure. And, Douglas cannot and will not be able to fill that man's shoes. I always voted for Barbara Snelling, a moderate republican who used to make surprise visits to our correctional facilities before other elected people thought of it. But greedy war mongering has evolved the republicans into a dirty party in Vermont...in my book. And, I still vote by the person, not by the party.

[bigbadbrad]

LOL, Vemonter and I don't agree on much, but I think we'd both agree that your act is piss-your-pants hilarious! Or Sad. Or Both.
Your right about one thing, there is a complete and utter disconnect between the national GOp as presently constituted and Yankee Repubs like the snellings, Stafford, Jeffords and George Aiken. Is too bad, we could use some of George Aiken's grounded, earthy wisdom in washington right now.

[bigbadbrad]

Anyway, If cannibis helps you find that place where you are in touch with your spirtuality, I say "smoke up, Johnny!" Smomeone pass the bong to George Bush. Better yet his brain, Karl Rove.

[sandy ward]

Really? Well, then let's keep it local and affordable. Pass that bong along to Douglas and his VT GOP, too...but no pass back, please. Ya'll are going to put it where the sun don't shine and try to take a hit, because that's where your heads are.

You want war but can't justify it, don't try to be my friend...Being Butt Buddy of Vermonter.

[vermonter]

Trying to decipher what Sandy Ward says, and follow her tortured, illogical, hazy thought process -- if you can call it that -- is an advertisement in itself against the use of marijuana. No rational person can actually understand what she is saying. It's like the old public service ad, with the egg in the frying pan: your brain on drugs. The woman's brain is completely fried. No one posting of hers has any rational relationship with the postings ahead of it. It is quite sad, really. Her postings are just a sputtering collection of unrelated, ranting words: "white," "Republican," "fascist," "bong," "butt buddies," "male," "fuck," "wannabe," "dems." Her sentences are incomplete. Her spelling makes no sense. If I wanted to show my kid why not to smoke pot, I'd show her a string of Ward's horrifying writings.

[bigbadbrad]

No kidding. Sad.

[jpc]

Isn't it ironic that Sandy chooses to use the term "butt buddies" under a string entitled "Gay Marriage Support". It is offensive that a person asking for understanding of pot and laws regarding it to be so insensitive towards other groups. But, as vermonter has noted previously, as far as Sandy is concerned there is only one issue that is important. I am surprised the moderator hasn't removed her slurs against homosexuals. Quite the faux pas for a politician Sandy. Does this indicate that the grassroots party is against gay marriage?

[Sir Winston Thriller]

Sandy, Brad, Vermonter....if y'all can't stay on topic, GET A ROOM!

[bigbadbrad]

Hey winston... were you actually going to say something or not. otherwise, stifle yourself.