Funeral Planning Rights Vetoed in R.I.

By Christopher Mangum

Donald Carcieri x390 (wiki) | advocate.com

Gov. Don Carcieri vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have given same-sex couples in Rhode Island the right to plan funerals for deceased partners.

The socially conservative Republican said the proposed protection represents a “disturbing trend” of the incremental erosion of heterosexual marriage, reports the Associated Press. Rhode Island does not recognize same-sex marriage.

The bill would have added domestic partners to the list of people who can legally make funeral arrangements for a deceased individual.

“If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnership, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of Rhode Island decide,” Carcieri said in a letter to lawmakers.

Sen. Rhoda Perry and Rep. David Segal, the bill's sponsors, said they would seek to override the veto. Currently, Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the state legislature and have successfully overridden a number of Carcieri’s vetoes.

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Name: Deb Havens
Date posted: 11/14/2009 7:35:37 AM
Hometown: Albany NY

Comment:
If I were to live with my partner for seventeen years and she died, I would want to have the right to have her buried next to me. Me being gay and wanting equal rights does NOTHING to heterosexual marriage. Trust me, heterosexual marriage has been destroyed by the men and women who have committed, "til death do we part". I can't do that with my partner, but even though these people are no longer together and living a lie, they can have say about someone they no longer love. I still love my partner and I do not have a say. How can I understand this? Thanks for the bias.
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Name: Charles
Date posted: 11/12/2009 10:34:33 AM
Hometown: Austin, TX

Comment:
It is truly disturbing that when the Gay community demands its rights it is told to place it on the ballot for popular vote. What sense does this make? I still believe that the courts are going to be a major part of what will bring true civil rights to the Gay community. Just as the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, it is the courts who will force the United States to live up to the promise of the founding documents. If African-American civil rights had been placed up for popular vote they would have been overwhelmingly defeated. This is why the courts work in order to advance society to help overturn the "tyranny of the majority" as they call it. That day is coming.
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Name: Yewtree
Date posted: 11/11/2009 10:59:06 AM
Hometown: Bath, UK

Comment:
How vindictive, to prevent LGBT people from looking after their deceased partners' best interests. How very unchristian, inhumane, and generally lacking in human decency. I hope that the voters of Rhode Island will soon send this bigot packing. Many many Christians are working to support LGBT rights. I'm not a Christian myself (I'm Unitarian and Wiccan), but feel sorry for those who have to share a label with bigoted idiots like this.
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Name: Brian
Date posted: 11/11/2009 9:02:51 AM
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD

Comment:
Let's hope this christian conservative has someone to plan his funeral lest his corpse be thrown out with the trash like he have done to any gay person who dies in RI. Jesus would be proud of yet another of his followers.
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Name: FRank
Date posted: 11/11/2009 8:36:34 AM
Hometown: Atlanta

Comment:
Act up, act out and raise some hell until there is full equality. The LGBT community once again has to fight the bigotry and legislated discrimination of the christian republicans. It sounds simple but painfully true; equality will not be given until we all live open honest lives and demand the civil rights that a free society enjoys.
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Name: Adrianus
Date posted: 11/11/2009 5:00:06 AM
Hometown: Northridge, CA

Comment:
This bone head has no heart at all. Imagine if he were prohibited to attend his wife funeral. I wonder if he is not a good christian since Jesus teach the Golden rule "treat people the way you want to be treated". Shame on you Don.
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Name: Debra
Date posted: 11/11/2009 3:41:23 AM
Hometown: Sacramento

Comment:
ok, seriously. what will the state do with that loved ones body, when family will not claim it, because they wrote off their son/daughter/mother/father/sister/brother for being gay? the governor of RI is a pathetic fool. may he rot in hell
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Name: Burial Rights are a Slippery Slope!
Date posted: 11/11/2009 12:50:38 AM
Hometown: CA. but feels like Iran

Comment:
What were we thinking trying to get marriage equality? We need to get burial rights for our loved ones. Please! Please! Please straights, Mormons,Catholics, Christians vote so we can bury our loved ones! Oh please Mr. President will you give us LGBT burial rights for the ones we love (the ones the"christians" call sodomites) maybe before your last term in office!
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Name: John Moll
Date posted: 11/11/2009 12:48:06 AM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:
This Governor is pushing an evil agenda under the guise of Christianity. Denying anyone in a committed, loving relationship to have the legal right to make funeral plans for a deceased partner is simply barbaric. How was such a hateful, punitive thinking person elected to this office? It is surreal.
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Name: Joseph Lutz
Date posted: 11/11/2009 12:05:44 AM
Hometown: Auburn, ME

Comment:
Why is he even in office? He sounds like a real jerk.

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