Recently in Arizona, there was a
bittersweet victory for a gay couple:
In a ruling that calls into question Arizona's gay marriage ban, a judge
handed a victory Friday to a gay man who lost his spouse to cancer last
month and was denied death benefits because the state prohibits
same-sex unions.
U.S. District Judge John Sedwick allowed Fred McQuire to be listed on
his spouse's death certificate, marking another development in the
national debate over gay marriage as state and federal judges across the
country have struck down bans in more than a dozen states at a rapid
rate since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year.
. . . A death certificate listing McQuire as the surviving spouse of George
Martinez was issued late Friday afternoon at a state records office in
Tucson, one of McQuire's lawyers said.
McQuire and Martinez were partners of 45 years who got married in
California this summer, fulfilling one of their final wishes as they
both dealt with serious health issues. Martinez, a Vietnam War veteran,
was in the throes of pancreatic cancer blamed on exposure to Agent
Orange when they got married, calling it "demeaning and unfair" to have
to go to another state to exchange their vows.
. . . Before the ruling, McQuire, 69, wiped away tears as he talked outside
court about the disappointment of being told by government officials
that he wasn't considered Martinez's lawful husband. He said he was
expecting that kind of reaction, but it still hurt deeply. "It doesn't
make it easier," McQuire said.
"George would have loved to have been here today," McQuire said outside
court, still wearing a gold and diamond wedding ring on his left hand. McQuire issued a written statement after the ruling was handed down. "No
one else should have to deal with the pain and humiliation of not being
able to take care of something as simple and sensitive as a death
certificate for their spouse," he said.
It's a story which should tug at your heart no matter how you feel about marriage equality. This is not about redefining anything, but rather a couple looking for simple dignity.
Of course some folks are making themselves immune to feeling even a small bit of kindness in regards to this situation and instead are pushing conspiracy theories. From
One News Now:
Micah Clark of the American Family Association of Indiana contends "these liberal judges know exactly what they were doing."
"They are activists," he alleges. "But rather than fully force same-sex marriage upon a state, they are chipping away at this through a public policy matter, knowing that this weakens marriage laws and [that] future judges can totally overturn the law by pointing back at these decisions."
Clark adds that the decisions undermine state laws which are decided by state lawmakers and the people.
"Death certificate policies, other licenses, marriage licenses have always been the purview of state legislatures and state policy matters," he notes. "Judges are not policy writers; they're deciders of the law concerning the Constitution. But many of these activist judges want to write public policy and what marriage policy is and force that upon a state."
Now usually this is where I would come in with a unifying statement ripping apart Clark for his lack of Christian charity as well as pointing out how his zeal to demonize the concept of marriage equality overrides any sympathy for the gay couple involved in the situation.
But I don't think that would be necessary. Why bother pointing out the existence of a jackass when he easily gives himself away by braying.
