US endorses UN gay rights text

By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer Matthew Lee, Associated Press Writer – 36 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration on Wednesday formally endorsed a U.N. statement calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality, a measure that former President George W. Bush had refused to sign.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090318/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_gay _rights

 

 Baby steps, but moving forward. 

 

It is a step for Washington State but it needs to be more.

I travel quite a bit and like the last guy on the video said.  When we go to another state our marriage means absolutely nothing forget another country.  

I don't want "Everything BUT Marriage"  we already pretty much have that in CA and  it's not enough.  I have known 2 couples now that had deaths and was refused benefits and services that is automatic for married couples.

This is a small step forward but I don't want small steps I want the full out sprint.     I appreciate this step but there has to be more and it needs to be soon.  

Like Martin Luther King said, there comes a time when you tire of waiting and then you must be moved to action.  That time is now.

I agree with some of what you said, Lee. But in the mean time what does one do? Isn't it an adult's responsibility to know the law where they are and then to take necessary precautions. Heck, even living in a state that recognizes all marriages that are legal in another state or country, I would not presume to live here or anywhere without "legally covering" myself and my partner. When you set up your own rules, within the law, no state can deny you. I even advise married hetrosexual couples to protect themselves with many of these same documents because some affairs should not be left to the state to decide. Again, this should be done in the mean time, but I say even after Homosexual Marriage is legislated, nothing will take the place of necessary legal documents. And ANY person(s) contemplating marriage should have a pre-nup (bottom line), I don't care if each are dirt poor.

I can not sympathize with "gay" couples that abrogate their responsibility to each other by not having a P/S Agreement or Co-Habitation Agreement, Wiils, Power of Attorney, and a Living Will/Health Care Document. Not having these are intentionally leaving one's Partner out in the cold.

P/S Agreement or Co-Habitation Agreement, Wiils, Power of Attorney, and a Living Will/Health Care Document. 

Don't forget durable power of attorney, living trust, and all the other documents that are suppose to be put in place that many of them can be dismissed if you are a gay couple.   

If you are not in your country that recognizes any of those things then it's just paper, so not making it a real and legitmate marriage is a complete disservice to gay couples.   (I have experienced this more than once myself)

Your right every couple should be prepared with proper paperwork, but a lot of assumed things between hetrosexual couples are not even considerations for homosexuals.

Government find it appropriate to see that gay people who are domestice partnershipped must go through a divorce procedure to dissolve that partnership, but still don't see it fit to let them marry.

Oh you guys can get divorced but marriage is out of the question.   

ABSOLUTELY UN TRUE relative to the Legality of the documents....where did you get this info from?

Country not state.  They totally would not accept it in Canada and they are our neighbors.  I always inquire in other countries as well and it's the same.

In the state of California you have to follow the same steps to dissolve a domestic partnership just as you would a marriage.

Well, yea, isn't that the point...say in most common law states (like Texas) if you are married at common law...you still have to get a divorce before you can marry someone else. What's the point of a P/S...Co-Habitation Agreements are very different and are for any couple.

Well, if you go some where and you are an American Citizen, relative to Contracts made in the USA, under International Law and Conflict of Laws, the Country where the Contract is Drafted and Signed are the Laws that will apply. So for example: God forbid, you were temporarily living in Canada, got sick and died in Canada, but you had a Will that was drafted and signed and proved in the USA...then the laws of the USA would apply relative to Wills. Keep in mind all of these documents are ONLY Contracts...well, Contracts are actually a life blood of a democratic society. Contracts between people will win out everytime.

I'm also licensed in Georgia...they even have a resolution against "Gay" marriage>>>BUT that does not effect my Contractual Rights...who inherits my stuff, who make my health care decisions if I can not, who see me in the hospital, if I'm living with someone-how we wack up our stuff. All of these are contractual matters and no state will touch that, point blank! Right to make/enter into Contracts are a part of the US Constitution. The ONLY thing that my Partner can NOT get if I die ( before there is a Constitutional Right for Any Competent Consenting Adult To Marry) is my Social Security, and vice versa.

That is exactly why people need to have their paper work straight, and so many gay couples don't protect themselves.   Many of them don't even have wills forget all the other legal stuff they need to have in place.

I worry a lot about that because I spend a lot of time out of the country.  When I am in the U.S. it's different because I know that I have all my legals together, but when I am out of the country I feel naked sometimes because I know my documents don't mean squat. 

I have a friend and her girlfriend who live in Buffalo,  they have been together for dam near 19 years and don't have one piece of paperwork in place.  They actually believe that they will be ok,  and their families will be fair when both of them have homophobic families.    Like you said in the post above when you don't take care of the legal stuff you are leaving your partner out in the cold.

Girl my professor just walked by and almost caught me on this site.  LOL.  

Did you hear about that guy that got beat to death in Buffalo about 3 weeks ago with a bat in his home?   That was my cousin.