In October, Rhode Island lawmakers passed a bill that would allow same-sex partners to make funeral arrangements for their loved ones. But, our Republican governor, Don Carcieri, who is an opponent of same sex marriage, vetoed the bill. He believes that this bill would go against the sanctity of marriage. Also, he thinks that if the General Assembly wants to address this issue they should put it on the ballot and let the people of RI decide.
Mark Goldberg, who is a resident of RI, had a partner who committed suicide. Although they had been together for over seventeen years, he was not allowed to claim rights to the body. Thirty two days passed before he was able to find a funeral home that recognized his rights and cremated the body.
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I think this is ridiculous. First of all, I don't think that funeral rites are part of the sanctity of marriage. Families make arrangement for their loved ones, friends make arrangements for other friends. Death and marriage, while related on some level, are not connected. What if someone never got married and they outlived the rest of their family? Who would be responsible for their funeral arrangements? I think funerary rites should be open to whomever is closest to the deceased.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree. Especially if two people have been together for over seventeen years, then their partner should have the rights to the body. Mark Goldberg has shown over the last seventeen years his dedication and loyalty to his partner and should therefore be able to make funeral arrangements. If they have been together so long, then they are practically married just not in the legal sense. It is stupid that he could lose these rights over a technicality.
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