Why Same-Sex Marriage Effects More Than You Think!!

Same-sex marriage is still a big debate in America today. What people do not realize is not allowing same-sex marriage impedes civil rights more than you think.


In healthcare, same-sex couples are not allowed the same benefits in hospital care that straight couples are allowed. I’m going to use the case of Lisa Pond here for an example. Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond had been together for 18-years when Lisa collapsed playing basketball with their three children. Lisa was dying. Her partner and their three children were not allowed to see her before she died, and never had the chance to say goodbye. Even though Langbehn had durable power of attorney, and even adopted their three children, the hospital still would not let them in. Lisa Pond died alone.

This is not the only example, but for once I will leave you to do the research. And, it's not just healthcare, same-sex couples have to pay more taxes because they are considered single in the eyes of the law, we have no social security survivor or spousal benefits. There is a lack of protection from estate taxes and no joint tax returns.

Why would we choose this for ourselves? I love my country so much that I want to give the government MORE money than other people? It is a shame this nation is divided by religious beliefs. What happened to “with liberty and justice for ALL?” or “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Until same-sex couples can be completely equal in the eyes of the law, I will still have this blog, and I will keep fighting for what's right...MY RIGHTS!!

Don't Ask Don't Tell..

     On January 29th 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was set in motion in the U.S military. For those of you who don't know Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a policy that states that the government would no longer ask you what your sexual orientation is when signing up for the service, you just don't tell them, or anyone else for that matter that you are gay or lesbian otherwise you would not be able to do your patriotic duty and enlist. You see it was the military's idea that having gays and lesbians in the military was "bad for morale."  About 12,000 men and women have been given the boot from the military, because they were outed somehow. I am currently reading a book by author Randy Shilts called "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S Military." The book gives very detailed stories about gays and lesbians in the military. Back then even rumors that you were a homosexual got you out of the military. Men would tell the draft board that they were gay to get out of going to Vietnam. If the government found out, not only

would you be kicked out of the military, you would be blackmailed if you weren't out to your family, military officials would force you name other known homosexuals in the military, and your name would be leaked to the press and it would be put in the paper that you were discharged from the military for homosexuality. It was seen as if you were a traitor, or being un-American.  After a while you had to have proof that you were a card carrying homo. You had to have a letter from several lovers stating that you engaged in homosexual acts IN DETAIL. Then "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was enforced. Obama promises to get rid of the policy, but people are still being discharged under said policy. So, until then if you want to serve your country, but you are gay or lesbian, too bad, the military doesn't want you. Sure they might need more troops in Iraq or Afghanistan or whatever poor country they are invading at the moment for the sake of "democracy," but not if you’re a homosexual.

The story of former Washington's National Guard Colonel Margarethe (Grethe) Cammermeyer, who is a veteran of the Veitnam War, for which she recieved a bronze star. She served our country for 25 years, and eventually accepted the position for Chief Nurse of the National Guard. In a top secret interview before offcially getting the job she was asked if she has engaged in any "immoral behavior." At first she responded "no," then paused and asked what the definition entailed. After hearing a list of immoral conduct like drug abuse, homosexuality was included in that list. As a solider, she felt that it was wrong to lie about who is then told the man that she is a lebsian. Despite all the depositions of the men and women she worked with that loved working with her, and how it didn't effect the morale of the unit at all, Grethe was kicked out of the National Guard. She was the highest ranked officer discharged on homosexuality. She sued of course, on the grounds of discrimination and won. She was reinstated into the military and served until she retired in 1997 after 31 years of deticated service.


(picture above) Margarethe Cammermeyer standing next to Glenn Close who played her in the made for T.V movie based on Cammermeyer's autobiography "Serving In Silence."

Col. Cammermeyer and her partner Diane Divelbess

Em's First Blog

Hello Readers,

Thank you for checking out my blog. I figure if I am going to be a journalist when I grow up, I might as well practice my writing, and website design. I feel like there are so many issues out there today that should be covered, but one in particular tugs at my heart strings, and does (for me at least) get personal. That topic is LGBT issues. If you read anything I post on Facebook than you know what I mean.

Yesterday, I was reading these stories that children were either committing suicide or in one case, murdered, because of bullying. I was bullied in middle school. I know what these children have been through, and how they feel hopeless. In fact, if it wasn't for my parents I probably would have been murdered or done something more drastic. According to wxpi.com "in 2007, nearly a third of students ages 12 to 18 reported having been bullied during the school year, according to data on more than 55 million students compiled annually by the National Center for Center for Education Statistics." Children will bully each other over anything, this is true, but when you get called a "faggot", "queer", and "homo" like 17-year-old Eric Mohat simply because he was involved in the theater and music program in high school instead of football. This bully was even so bold to say "Why don't you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you." The issue here that really bothers me though is this: the bully would say this in front of the teachers, and the teachers would do nothing. Faculty involvement could have stopped the bullying that eventually leads to Eric Mohat going home and committing suicide. Then there is the use of said homophobic slurs that make me shutter even when said in a joking manner. People don't think about what they say before they say it, probably because they think it's funny and not out of hatred and bigotry.

Then, there is the cases of kids like 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, who also commited suicide after bullies used anti-gay slurs. He was just eleven. Did he deserve to die, because he may have been different? Or how about someone like Angie Zapata, who was transgendered. How would you feel if you grew up feeling like you were born into the wrong body? Not only is there the confusion, but on top of that being teased mercilessly. Angie Zapata, on July 17th, 2008, was brutally murdered in her apartment with a fire extingusher. Did she deserve to die? What about Ryan Skipper, Matthew Shephard, and Sean Kennedy? Sure they were different than their killers, but did they deserve to die? Finally, there is the case of Lawrence King, who was shot to death because his murderer had a crush on him. Lawrence King was only 15-years-old.

These victims had their whole lives ahead of them, but they were taken away, because of bigotry. It's not an agenda! It's not recruiting. The earlier we teach children about tolerance of all races, genders, sexual preferences and religious beliefs then maybe the world will be a little safer..as a product of bullying in school, I understand what it's like. I would not want my child going through the same harassment I went through in school. The FBI documented 135 bias incident based on based on sexual orientation in 2007. How many Matthew Shepherds have to die for people to care? 1? 10? 100? Children spread the hate in school because it's what their mom's and dad's teach them..children don't make it up on their own.