[extropy-chat] Moveon.org

[Brent Neal]

 (9/17/04 11:37) Emlyn <emlynoregan at gmail.com> wrote:

>For these purposes of being family, perhaps also relevant wrt
>inheritance, could a gay couple adopt each other, so that each was the
>legal adopted child of the other? Crazy, but maybe it would achieve
>family status?


I seem to recall a case in Washington state where this actually happened. 30 second Google search didn't turn it up, though.

There are plenty of other things, besides those gosh-darned Federal benefits, that gay couples don't get. But beyond that, I'll also point out that it takes a good attorney in order to get the contracts set up 'just so' in order for a gay couple to enjoy privileges any religious authority is empowered by the government to bestow upon heterosexual couples. 

I'd like to see the hue and cry that would be raised if het couples had to pay $400 on top of the optional things in order to tie the knot. :)

Of course, the right answer is to get the government out of the "marriage" business. Treat it all with a standard contract between two (or more) consenting adults. Leave the the 'marriage' part to the churches.  Its not even a state's right issue: the separation of church and state is one of those things that is absolutely inviolable (c.f. Roy Moore).  The government has no authority to provide legal status to a religious institution, period.


Brent
-- 
Brent Neal
Geek of all Trades
http://brentn.freeshell.org

"Specialization is for insects" -- Robert A. Heinlein