Update: Carcieri, gay-rights meet on burial rights veto
3:21 PM Thu, Nov 12, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Governor Carcieri and six gay-rights advocates began a closed-door meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday to talk about the governor's veto of a bill giving "domestic partners" the right to make funeral decisions for each other. Carcieri, who vetoed the bill Tuesday, had earlier agreed to meet with members of the group Queer Action of Rhode Island, who object to the governor's opposition to same-sex marriage. Among those attending the meeting is Mark Goldberg, a Providence resident who testified in Febuary before the General Assembly about the difficulties he had in arranging funeral and cremation services for his partner of 17 years, who had committed suicide. Goldberg's story moved legislators to overwhelmingly pass the bill that Carcieri vetoed this week. The veto has prompted criticism from several potential candidates for governor, as well as gay rights groups. In its angry response to Carcieri's veto, Queer Action called him a "bigot'' and said his actions belie his oft-heard statement "that he does not discriminate against gay people.'' "First the Governor raises money for an anti-gay hate group in another state, and now he proves that he is motivated more by bigotry than caring for his fellow citizens with this veto action," said Susan Heroux, a member of Queer Action of RI. "The governor believes strongly in heterosexual privilege and special rights for straight people. He does not care how much suffering he causes for gay Rhode Islanders in order to follow his ideology which conveniently finds his type of family to be the best,'' the statement said. After an unrelated event earlier Thursday, Carcieri said he didn't want to discriminate against anyone. But he said he thought the bill was unnecessary and there are other ways to accomplish what it was meant to do. He said he preferred to wait until after Thursday's meeting before commenting further. R.I. Democrats too have slammed the governor over the veto. "If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnerships, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the State of Rhode Island decide," he wrote. Carcieri took issue with the definition of a domestic partner as "a person who, prior to the decedent's death, was in an exclusive, intimate and committed relationship with the decedent" for at least a year, saying a year "is not a sufficient duration to establish a serious bond between two individuals ... [relative to] issues regarding funeral arrangements, burial rights and disposal of human remains." He also questioned "how it would be ascertained in many circumstances whether [a couple] had been in a relationship for year" since there is "no official or recognized form" of domestic partnership agreement in Rhode Island. After Goldberg's testimony, an overwhelming majority in the House and Senate -- including many who are opposed to same-sex marriage -- agreed to add funeral decision-rights to the litany of Rhode Island laws that already provide access to health insurance and survivor benefits to domestic partners. The House voted 63-to-1 on its version of the bill, with state Rep. Arthur Corvese, D-North Providence, as the lone dissenter, and the Senate, 38-to-0. As the debate over the veto escalated, Goldberg registered his own deep disappointment at the governor's veto of the funeral-rights bill. He suggested the veto was a consequence of The Journal and other media outlets dubbing it a gay issue, which "fogged the opinion of the Governor...[who] is not ready to allow more rights at this time to the [gay-lesbian-transgender] community'' when "what I have been fighting for, and what Senator Rhoda Perry had so eloquently formed into a bill are rights for all domestic partners in the State of Rhode Island, gay or straight. "When taken in the abstract, it is easy to throw out the will of the legislators. But what the governor and many others are forgetting is that these unjust laws that are in place in our state are affecting real human beings,'' Goldberg said in an e-mail. "The problem I faced was not in the abstract but was real. The problems all other domestic partners face when working with the state's Health Department and funeral homes are also real. This is a basic human rights issue.'' While it remains unclear whether house and Senate leaders will seek to override the governor's veto, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox issued this statement in response to an inquiry: "Personally, I favor an override of this legislation. I look forward to meeting with Speaker Murphy and the Senate leadership in the near future to review all of the vetoes and discuss our next course of action." An openly gay man, Fox is the chosen successor of House Speaker William J. Murphy, who has announced his intent to exit after next year. (The original version of this story was published at 1:28 p.m. Thursday.) 
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We are with you Governor Carcieri...........
Good Luck.................................
President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and wifes
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Carcieri took issue with the definition of a domestic partner as "a person who, prior to the decedent's death, was in an exclusive, intimate and committed relationship with the decedent" for at least a year, saying a year "is not a sufficient duration to establish a serious bond between two individuals..
I guess Carcieri doesn't validate any wedding done in Las Vegas, because Britney Spears got married to her first husband after 48 hours, but the marriage did last only a few days. But those were heterosexuals, so I guess that is different.
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I think the Veto is aweful. Many people in a domestic partnership have no one but their partner.. I do not believe that this type of decision is any business of the States - I believe it should be up to the individuals whom it affects..
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Governor Carcieri is SMART and realizes that this bill is a LEGAL TACTIC by gay rights groups to soon demand same sex marriage. First they get a bill like this, then they use it to establish themselves as a "protected class", and then they demand in the courts that, as a protected class, they must be given same sex marriage.
I applaud you Governor for seeing through this smokescreen and for standing up for our state.
The people of this state, not the homosexual minority in the statehouse or the same 100 or less protestors who show up to same sex marriage rallies, should decide the fate of the family and true marriage in Rhode Island.
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Can't they have their wishes drawn up by an attorney like everyone else?
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One in 12 couples is heading for the divorce courts after 24 months - more than double the figure for seven years states one study done on marriage.
so governor, if gay people were together 2 years instead of one would it be okay for their partner to claim their dead body - or should the body be left mouldering in some facility because of you and your church puppeteers outdated unconstitutional mindset?
this is no erosion of the civil law that marriage is. this is a basic compassionate law. if i were in this type of position i would take steps in writing to ensure my wishes were carried out but many people don't always think 'oh, my partner will die, i had better run out and file that paperwork'
2011 cannot get here soon enough
your grandchild thanks you for all you are doing
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Mr. Carcieri,
I was your neighbor as a child (green house) in East Greenwich in the 80s. Your daughters baby-sat me. My family was good friends with your family enjoying bbqs and block parties. However, now as a grown gay man, I can not look at you in the admiration I once had because of your personal vendetta against the LGBT community. I dont think you are fully aware of how your ignorance and lack of understanding impacts the lives of so many others. So, I just wanted to let you know that the next time you play baseball with the neighborhood kids again, think of how many of those kids will grow up and face today's challenges as second class citizens because of the the decisions you make today and preventing them from living happy, fullfilling lives of equality.
thanks,
NL
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Karen,
How right you are, how right you are! I am elated that there are a few who post sensible comments with truth and accuracy. I also applaud the governor for seeing through the as you call it the “smokescreen” and that’s exactly what it is. I am sick and tired of the civil & human rights arguments raised by gay activists who continue to in my mind bog down the more important issues that seem to hinder and set back the state, in which our political leaders waste time and effort trying to please the few as the many get lost in translation.
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I find it very ironic that the governor is so adamant about protecting the definition of marriage. With a failure rate of greater than 50%, just what is he protecting? Many gay couples have been together longer than most hetero people have been married!! Maybe Carcieri is afraid that the gay population may have a higher success rate in marriage...but then again, he'll do everything in his power to make sure we don't get that opportunity.
What happened to a separation between church and state?
Thanks for nothing, governor.
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"Can't they have their wishes drawn up by an attorney like everyone else?"
Really? Married people can't arrange the funerals of their spouses without some sort of lawyer-arranged documentation? Since when?
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Goodness, next thing you know we will have educated, open minded, caring, loving couples living in our neighborhoods.
We certainly don't want our children to be brought up in that environment, do we!
When will this hypocritical Catholic doctrine stop trying to control our free country?
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Not only is it a smokescreen but with it's present definition it raises more issues than it solves. Does this just include same sex domestic partnerships? If it does then it confers special rights. What about heterosexuals that live together? So anyone who lives together for a few months should be given the right to make funeral arrangements? Even usurping the rights of parents who have had a longer relationship? What about seperation of church and state? Traditional marriage is not definined by religion alone. I know plenty of atheists who believe in traditional marriage. It is defined by society and last time I checked this country was still a democracy. The only states with same sex "marriage" are the ones that legislated it in. In states where it is placed on the ballot it has been defeated-EVERY TIME. The people have apoken. You can call it whatever you want civil union etc but it is not marriage. There is no reason to discriminate against anyone but redefining traditions over the will of the people is just plain wrong.
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This bill is nothing but a back door deal to allowing same sex marriage to be legalized in RI. It isnt the right of groups to be redefining what societal norms are and should continue to be. This is about pushing an agenda for homosexuals now, it isnt about civil rights and equality, doesnt anyone see that? They were given civil unions years ago, and they are not happy with that. Now they want "marriage", well that isnt their right or choice to redefine what marriage is. They need to take their agenda somewhere else and admit what they are doing has nothing to do with civil rights. Give me a break.
I support the Governor in his decision 100%.
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Whats so wrong about Same-Sex Marriage??? How will that hurt anyone? How will that prevent Heterosexuals (who, by the way, have a 53 percent divorce rate in this country) from enjoying there own marriages?
People who are against Same-Sex couples are usually not against for any reason of there own, but because there churches push this bigotry down there throats. I thought that the new testament was here to take the place of the old, and unless I am mistaken, which I am not, the new testament says nothing about Marriage or homosexuality. Jesus only talked about love and kindness.
So all you "good church-going christians/catholics" I might consider picking up your bible and re-reading a few chapters.
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Some of you are idiots. I live in a domestic partnership with a man ( I'm a woman) and this veto means I can't bury my domestic partner. Gay issue my left hand! This is an issue that everyone should be up in arms about. Everyone has the right to have their last wishes carried out, even they are LGTBQ.
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