Dammit, Dammit, Dammit

It looks like I already have reason to regret moving to Maryland. Out not-so-esteemed governor has vetoed protection for gay and lesbian families.Specifically, he put the kabosh on legislation that would have granted same-sex couples at least some of the rights that married couples take for granted.

The Medical Decision Making Act would create a statewide life partnership registry for unmarried couples and extend 11 rights to registered couples, including the right to hospital visitation, to make medical decisions on behalf of a partner, to make funeral arrangements and to share a room in a nursing home. The Transfer & Recordation Tax Exemption would exempt domestic partners from the transfer and recordation tax that is paid when one partner is added or removed to the deed of the other partner’s property on the home they share.

All I have to say it that I pity anybody who attempts to keep me from my husband’s side if he’s in the hospital. Trust me, their misery will become my mission in life.

What I don’t understand is why these rights and protections are so objectionable. What objection could anyone have to my wanting to visit my husband in the hospital, or vice versa? How does allowing me to be at his side, or him to be at mine threaten anyone’s marriage? What or whom does it harm?

What’s more, how does anyone who claims to call themselves a Christian—where the religious right is concerned—object to something as simple as hospital visitation; something that simple compassion would dictate should be allowed? Denying these protections, or even leaving open the possibility for them to be denied, to same sex couples is plain old everyday bigotry and hatred. Nothing more or less.

And as if that’s not enough, the final slap in the face—I learn from John Aravosis— is that Erlich has a gay chief of staff.

Come on Steven….what’s this about? How can you work for someone who thinks so little of gays? Ehrlich chose the radical right wingers over you and all the other gay staffers….and there are plenty of them in Annapolis.

Begs the question why any self-respecting gay or lesbian can work for a gay-basher. I guess self-respecting is the operative term.

It’s a legitimate question, I think. How does a self-respecting gay man work for someone who doesn’t think he should be allowed to visit his partner in the hospital? How does a self-respecting gay man work form someone who thinks that others should possibly have the right to keep him and his partner apart if one of them is ill?

Can someone tell me again just why gays who work for people like this should be quietly left alone? Can someone explain to me why they shouldn’t have to answer to the community about why they give their time and support to someone who policies and actions stand to do real harm to our families? Can someone explain to me why they deserve the protection of being left alone, to carry out the wills of their homo-hating bosses?

I know one thing. Now that I’m in Maryland, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that Erlich goes down.

(Via gay news blog.)