"Catholic Woman’s Loss Transforms into Struggle for Civil Marriage Equality"

Some in Maryland, such as the Maryland Catholic Conference, have stated that civil marriage equality is not needed because same-sex couples enjoy "many" of the legal protections that hetero-couples enjoy.

That would be like saying - as was said a half-century ago - that water fountains need not be de-segregated because there are plenty of water fountains that Black folks could use.

The argument was silly and hurtful then. It is silly and hurtful today.

Case in point:

Charlene Strong (pictured above) lives in Washington State. In 2006, she lost her spouse, Kate Fleming, to a torrential flood. 

In recent years, Strong has been talking about the hurtful mistreatment she received from hospital administrators, and a funeral director who refused to acknowledge her relationship with her deceased spouse. As Strong told the Washington Post:

“They were willing to take the word of someone on the phone, 300 miles away,’

"Who knew her allergies? I did. Who knew what her wishes were? I did."

Her poor treatment at the hands of ostensible care givers and service providers has prompted Strong to campaign to legalize marriage equality.

Strong has continued her commitment to the Catholic Church - despite the campaign against marriage equality, which the hierarchy has mounted. Why? As Strong has said:

‘The church kept me from going crazy after my wife died. They were there to help bury her with tremendous compassion . . ."

“When you leave the church you can’t fix the church. You can’t be part of the discussion.”

Sources:

Strong speaks to Zags about gay marriage, the Catholic Church - Spokanefavs

Lesbian answers bishop’s call for dialogue on gay marriage - Washington Post

Special thanks to Bondings 2.0, for its report and for the photo (above) : Catholic Woman’s Loss Transforms into Struggle for Equality - Bondings 2.0

"Government deals with marriage as a civil status . . . "

Opponents of the civil rights of gay Marylanders often argue from Scripture that marriage is about one man and one woman. So says the Knights of Columbus through a spokesman: "We are one with the church on the subject of preserving traditional man-and-woman marriage."

Marriage is man-and-woman marriage. And that's it.

But that is not it. Not everyone in Maryland reads Scripture. 

Not everyone in Maryland reads Scripture in just the same way.

In the United States we do not call in the prosecutor to enforce religious beliefs.

Judge Dennis Jacobs, a conservative federal circuit judge, yesterday (Oct 18 2012) made this clear. 

Civil rights in the United States are not regulated by any one religion. 

Judge Jacobs issued a decision in the three judge decision in the Windsor case stated:

". . . law (federal or state) is not concerned with holy matrimony. Government deals with marriage as a civil status . . . A state may enforce and dissolve a couple’s marriage, but it cannot sanctify or bless it. For that, the pair must go next door [to the Church]."

In Maryland, this year, civil marriage equality is on the ballot. 

The question we are asked to decide on Nov. 6 is whether all the citizens of Maryland enjoy the same civil right to marry the one you love.

In our society, there can be only one fair answer to this question: 

Everyone who believes in equal protection under law should vote FOR Question Six on November 6.

Source: 

Judge Jacobs strikes down DOMA section 3 | Maryland for All Families

DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Appeals Court

A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that gay Americans are a class of people who deserve the same kinds of constitutional protections as many other victims of discrimination. - NY Times

FOR CATHOLICS: HERE IS HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT CIVIL MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN MARYLAND

FOR CATHOLICS: 

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT CIVIL MARRIAGE 

EQUALITY IN MARYLAND

1.“Like” Catholics for Marriage Equality Facebook page; post comments; share content with your friends.

2. Tell five other Catholics about the campaign for civil marriage equality in Maryland.

3. Share this blog address on Facebook and Twitter

4. Display a Catholics for Marriage Equality bumper sticker on your car, computer case, cubicle, stroller, walker, or umbrella. If you need a bumper sticker, post a comment at this blog, asking for one and we will get one to you.

5. Wear a Catholics for Marriage Equality button to Mass. If you need a button, post a comment at this blog, asking for one and we will get one to you.

6. Allow your button and bumper sticker to start conversation about your journey as a Catholic supporting civil marriage for same-sex couples

7. Volunteer to be a contact person in your parish for Catholics for Marriage Equality Maryland; post your willingness at this blog, with your e-mail address and/or other contact info. We will be in touch.

8. Share your story. Post your comment here at this blog.

Civil Marriage Equality Is Important - Reason #9

In case you missed this item on April 15 2012. (I did.)

On April 14, 2012, the White House announced a rule change, which will grant visiting rights to same-sex partners. This is important as it will make it easier for all couples to make medical decisions on behalf of their partners.

The new rule applies to any hospital that participates in Medicare or Medicaid. 

Although the rule does not grant new rights it does 'draw attention to the very real and tragic situations many gays and lesbians face when a partner is hospitalized," said Richard Socarides, who advised President Clinton on gay rights issues.

Gay rights advocates said the rule change is an advance. “It’s a huge deal,” said David Smith, vice president of policy for the Human Rights Campaign. Smith and HRC worked with the Obama administration on the new rule. 

“Nearly every hospital in the country will now be required to provide hospital visitation rights to LGBT families. It’s an enormous step. In the absence of equal marriage rights in most jurisdictions, this step provides an essential right to LGBT families for a gay person or a lesbian person to spend time with their partner in a critical situation.”

The rules change was inspired by a hospital's refusal - for eight hours - to permit a patient's same-sex partner and their four adopted children to see the fatally ill patient. The visits were blocked at the hospital even though the partner had the patient's power of attorney. Ms. Pond died as Ms. Langbehn tried in vain to get to her side. 
(The couple, Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond, were profiled in The New York Times in 2009.)  

In conjunction with the rule change, President Obama called Ms. Langbehn, who said later to the New York Times:

“I was so humbled that he would know Lisa’s name and know our story. He apologized for how we were treated. For the last three years, that’s what I’ve been asking the hospital to do. Even now, three years later, they still refuse to apologize to the children and I for the fact that Lisa died alone.”

SOURCE:

Obama Widens Medical Rights for Gay Partners - NYTimes.com